Home / Our Services/ Sexual abuse

Fatima M.

Fatima M.

Psychotherapist
Experience(Years): 30+
Given Sessions: +12000hours
Languages:Spanish,English
Working with:Individuals,Couples
Area:Depression,Intimacy,Trauma, Abuse, Life Transitions,Gender Difficulty,Family&Marriage Conflicts
Lorena S.

Lorena S.

(8)
Psychotherapist
Experience(Years): 17+
Given Sessions: over 7000hours
Languages:Spanish,French,English
Working with:Individuals,Couples,&Teen
Area:Depression,Anxiety,Burnout, Addictions,Fears,Low Self-esteem,Family Conflicts
Dr.Livia Tedaldi

Dr.Livia Tedaldi

Clinical Psychologist
Experience(Years): 24+
Licences:BABCP,HCPC
Given Sessions: over 23000hours
Languages:Italian,Portuguese,English
Working with:Individuals,Couples,&Teen
Areas:Depression,Anxiety,ADD,BPD, Bipolar,ASD
Sam Agnew

Sam Agnew

Psychotherapist /Life Coach
Licences:BACP
Experience(Years):7+
Given Sessions:over 2500hours
Languages:English
Working with:Individuals,Couples,&Teen
Area:LGBTQIA+,ADHD,PTSD,CPTSD, Anxiety,Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,Dyscalculia
Sexual abuse therapy refers to various forms of psychological treatment aimed at helping individuals who have experienced sexual abuse or assault to heal from the trauma and recover from its effects.

The goal of sexual abuse therapy is to help individuals overcome the traumatic effects of sexual abuse or assault and to improve their emotional and psychological well-being. Through therapy, individuals can learn coping skills, build resilience, and regain a sense of control and empowerment. Additionally, therapy can help individuals improve their relationships and overall quality of life.

Sexual Abuse

A Compassionate Approach To Dealing With Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is a tragic and widespread problem that impacts countless individuals throughout the globe and has a lasting impact on those who survive it. This content will explore the scientific knowledge of sexual abuse, focusing on its impacts on children, behaviors that indicate abuse, mental health implications, and how to navigate relationships and intimacy after experiencing abuse. From extortion and rape to molestation and other forms of non-consensual sexual activity, sexual abuse covers it all.

What is Sexual Abuse?

Molestation, rape, compulsion, and exploitation are all forms of sexual abuse that fall under the umbrella term of non-consensual sexual behaviour. Inflicting deep emotional and psychological scars, it violates the autonomy and dignity of an individual's body. Recognising the pervasiveness of sexual abuse across varied demographics and circumstances, from institutional malfeasance to familial assault, is essential to understanding this type of abuse. The need of having thorough preventative measures and support networks is underscored by the fact that power, trust, and vulnerability all play key roles in the perpetuation of sexual abuse.

Sexual Abuse in Children

Because they are dependent and unable to defend themselves, children are particularly susceptible to sexual assault. Victims frequently take advantage of children's naiveté and lack of self-confidence to force them to engage in sexually explicit behaviours against their will. Every part of a child's growth and health can be affected by the catastrophic and long-lasting effects of sexual abuse in childhood. Experiencing sexual abuse as a child may cause permanent damage to a person's mental health, according to studies.

Consequently, communities, teachers, and caregivers must be on high alert to protect children from danger. Environments may be created where children feel empowered to speak out about abuse and receive the assistance they need to recover by providing education on bodily safety, encouraging open communication, and establishing safe reporting methods.

What are the Signs of Child Sexual Abuse?

The most important thing that adults can do to help children who have been victims of sexual abuse is to learn to recognize the warning signals so that they can get help quickly.
These symptoms might include:

  • acting out of character
  • withdrawing from social situations
  • being afraid of specific people or places
  • experiencing inexplicable injuries or nightmares
  • falling behind in developmental milestones
  • or displaying sexually inappropriate knowledge or conduct for their age.

On top of that, kids might show physical signs like stuttering, pain or discomfort in the vaginal region, or even STDs. If you suspect child abuse, you must respond compassionately and sensitively, putting the child's safety first.

Also, to make sure the kid gets the help they need, experts in trauma-informed care should be a part of the assessments and interventions. Protecting children against sexual abuse and helping them recover from its terrible effects requires a society that is more conscious of the problem and more willing to take action.

How Sexual Abuse Affects Mental Health

Sexual abuse has far-reaching and complex effects on mental health. Depression , anxiety , PTSD , self-harm, substance misuse, and thoughts of suicide are among the mental health concerns that survivors may face. Sexual abuse is a traumatic event that can cause long-lasting emotional suffering by shattering a person's feeling of security, trust, and self-worth. Survivors may also have trouble setting and keeping appropriate boundaries, develop unhealthy relationships, and deal with internalised trauma symptoms like shame, guilt, and self-blame. It's critical to acknowledge that sexual abuse may have a complicated and diverse effect on mental health.

How long it takes to rehabilitate depends on a number of factors, including how bad the abuse was, how close the victim was to the abuser, and how accessible support services are. Healing as a whole requires trauma-informed treatment, medication if needed, peer support groups, and holistic methods of self-care. We can aid survivors in regaining their agency, resilience, and optimism by compassionately and expertly attending to their mental health needs.

Sex and Relationships After Sexual Abuse

Survivors' capacity to build healthy connections may be affected by emotions of shame, guilt, or fear of intimacy. They may also have trouble trusting others and setting healthy boundaries because they are afraid of being vulnerable and re-traumatized. But with the correct tools and resources, survivors may build relationships that are rich with purpose and fulfilment via communication, understanding, and mutual respect. Survivors can learn to handle the challenges of relationships after experiencing abuse through therapy, support groups, and courses that teach them how to be intimate and improve their relationship skills.

Counseling Help for Sexual Abuse

Selecting the appropriate therapist is crucial when navigating the healing process, particularly after traumatic events like sexual abuse. We value this crucial step highly because it understands that the therapeutic alliance is essential to creating a secure and encouraging environment for people who are seeking assistance. The platform highlights the importance of finding a therapist who is both qualified and compassionate in order to ensure that each patient receives individualised care that is catered to their specific needs.

All-inclusive Therapy for Victims of Sexual Assault

Our platform serves as a pillar of support, helping survivors towards recovery and facilitating healing conversations on various challenges, including behaviour problems, family dynamics, and self-harm. Our platform recognizes the lasting effects of these traumatic events and expands its services to include counseling for victims of sexual assault. In addition to offering therapeutic interventions, our platform aims to establish a safe, accepting environment where survivors can talk candidly about their struggles and work toward taking back control of their lives and their sense of empowerment.

Our platform is essentially a space set aside for therapy that understands the delicate nature of issues such as sexual abuse. Our platform is dedicated to providing complete and unwavering support to those on their journey of healing from the aftermath of trauma by prioritising licensed and caring therapists, protecting privacy, and removing geographical barriers.

With TimeToBetter, getting started is a simple process. The mobile app for our platform makes therapy and counselling services easily accessible and allows users to video chat with licensed online psychologists. The app combines exercises and resources to assist users in identifying and addressing harmful thought patterns.

We also acknowledge the importance of addressing issues like alcoholism and domestic abuse through its online therapy and counselling services. When embarking on the journey of therapy, selecting the right online therapist becomes crucial. We emphasise the importance of assessing a therapist's qualifications, area of expertise, and therapeutic approach. Privacy and safety are paramount, ensuring that all interactions remain confidential between the consultant and therapist.