For Survivors

Why Recovery is Important

If you experienced childhood sexual abuse, the prospect of facing down your fears and dealing with past feelings might appear an overwhelming task. Many adult survivors have coped long enough that taking another look at their childhood trauma seems like a pointless way to experience more pain.

But there is overwhelming evidence that survivors of early sexual abuse experience a lifetime of struggles, including health risks, substance dependencies, sexual dysfunctions, low self-esteem and poor coping habits.

The struggles you face in daily life aren’t independent of your early abuse. Instead, they are symptoms of a trauma that greatly shifted your worldview and self-perception.

The Burden of Healing

You already know the trauma was harmful to you. Learning that, by simply surviving childhood sexual abuse, you’re faced with an ongoing struggle can make survivors feel helpless when trying to heal.

But the lingering effects of your abuse aren’t a lifetime sentence. While the burden of healing has been unfairly put on you, living with the symptoms of an unresolved trauma is a choice.

Take the First Step
Below you’ll find numerous articles exploring the why childhood sexual abuse is damaging. Understanding how your childhood trauma shaped your worldview and perception of self is the first step in separating who you are from the effects of your abuse.

You’ll find articles that address coping mechanisms and struggles common to abuse survivors, some of which you may recognize in yourself.

We also share interviews with adult survivors like yourself, who have struggled with repressed memories, emotional health and their own self-esteem, as well as the unique issues that abuse survivors experience while parenting, having healthy relationships, and continuing to seek their own healthier selves.

If you have a story to share, please contact us here at Keep Kids Safe.