Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Adulthood
...esearchers link behavioral problems in adulthood to childhood abuse. One researcher says that "An adult who was sexually abused as a child has a greater chance of becoming violent, suicidal, and abusive to their children than an adult who was not abused sexually as a child" (Kliest 155). These characteristics could inhibit a victim from living a normal lifestyle and having a family. Kliest also states, "Adults who were abused sexually as children will have a greater chance than those who were not of experiencing sexual dysfunction, such as flashbacks, difficulty in arousal, and phobic reactions to sexual intimacy" (156). Numerous researchers comply with the idea that childhood sexual abuse has a negative effect on an adult's personal relationships. Another researcher states, "A history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) appears to have an adverse impact on the quality of adult intimate relationships, and they report avoiding the development of close adult relationships because of their fear of rejection" (Whiffen 1103). These behavioral problems possess the ability to demolish an adult's intimate relationships. Being sexually abused as a child has the power to lead to mental health problems as a middle-aged adult. One of the most common effects of childhood sexual abuse for middle-aged adults is depression. Shane Kasner, a psychologist, states, "Research has consistently found that childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with poor psychological outcome in adult populations" (Kasner 1245). Valerie Whiffen, a psychologist, reports that there is strong evidence relating childhood sexual abuse (CSA) with adult depression (Whiffen 1102). Whiffen also says, "Both men and women with a history of childhood sexual abuse reported more interpersonal problems than individuals without this history" (1104). Another researcher documents that "It has often been reported that suffering abuse as a child can have a negative effect on one's mental health as an adult. Several studies of female psychiatric inpatients and outpatients have found that 36% to 51% of subjects reported histories of sexual abuse" (Barnard-Thompson 6). That is a very alarming number. Barnard-Thompson also reports that "Residents also recognized the significant association of post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, and dissociate disorders with child sexual abuse" (6). These are just a few examples of the outcomes that sexual abuse can cause in middle-aged adults. L.A. McKeon, a doctor, states that "adult women who were sexually abused as children have different hormonal reactions to stress than women who were not abused (McKeon 1). McKeon also says "Women who were not victims of abuse, whether they were depressed or not, had a heightened biological response to the stressful situation, the degree of their response correlated with the severity of the childhood trauma" (1). It has been proven that there is damaging emotional effects that accompany middle-aged adults who are victims of childhood sexual abuse. Research has been done to argue that a child who was sexually abused has a chance of developing physical problems as a middle-aged adult. Research conducted indicates that a child who w...