(1) Influential Factors: Sexual Abuse

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Challenges to Study Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA)

• What constitutes CSA ranges greatly from

  • E.G. Sexual jokes, covert CSA, overt CSA

• Effect of CSA may change over time

  • Very difficult to assess because it changes over time

• CSA can happen at any age, last or end, and be committed by different people

  • One-type encounter or long-term.

  • Can be from anyone (friend, stranger, teacher, relative)

CSA among girls

• Girls > boys

• girls who reach puberty early have early exposure to negative events thus must deal with body image issues early

• Sexualization of young girls in media

  • Acceleration

• Incorporation and acceptance of bodily changes may be further disrupted by CSA

Common body image problems for sexually abused individuals

• Assault on body integrity and violation of body boundaries → long-term psychopathology

  • Anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicide, eating disorders

• Unstable concept of self and body

  • lack of integrated body image and healthy sense of self

• Negative attitudinal body image

  • sexuality

  • body shame

• Disrupted view of violated body part(s) → body dissatisfaction, body shame, body distortion

  • Reflection of abuse?

    • Even when body is normal, victims tend to be overly critical of their bodies. They view the event of CSA is ugly where they reflect it onto their bodies.

Common body image problems for sexually abused individuals

Wenninger & Heiman (1998)

METHODS:

• 47 CSA Survivors (+47 comparison women)

• Correlation study, so no causality

• Differences between survivors and control group

RESULTS:

• Evaluated their health more negatively

  • More physiological symptoms and medical problems

• Had negative body image and lower body esteem regarding sexual attractiveness (but NOT general body image)

• Reported sexual dysfunctioning

  • more aversion, less arousal, more pain

  • more sexual partners in lifetime

• Engaged in self-harming behaviors

  • drug use, self-mutilation, health risk

  • treat bodies in destructive, punishing, neglectful ways, possibly as attempt to cope with history of pain, misuse, disrespect for their bodies?

Common body image problems for sexually abused individuals

• Manage discomfort with body and sexuality by limiting/increasing dietary intake

  • smaller/larger body will be unattractive for abusers

• eating disorders (bulimia nervosa)

  • reject body’s psychological needs

  • losing control over body (because of binge eating) so regain control by purging, exercise, fasting