Youth suicide and its relationship to

                            Child Sexual Abuse/Trafficking

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Worldwide, 1 out of 8 people experience Child Sexual Abuse (CSA); especially among girls. Imagine how many girls, women, boys, and men have experienced unreported suicide attempts due to being sexually abused and sexually trafficked?  Our seemingly careless, lack of approach towards awareness and ending CSA has and is putting so many children into suicidal behaviors such as  body ‘cutting’ and overdosing on pharmaceuticals.

 

Research has found that minors that were 6-17 years old who displayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder plus experiencing sexual abuse exhibited higher suicidal thinking (ideation) and attempts than those who experienced PTSD without sexual abuse.  Also, the risk of suicidal behavior increased by 26% among those who have PTSD along with CSA compared to the children who have not been sexually abused (1). Suicidal self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) is a confirmed analysis association for children who have experienced sexual abuse, especially abuse that is considered earlier onset (usually before 6) and for abuse that occurred for longer durations.  

 

The pressure to attempt to live a ‘normal’ life after CSA/TRAFFICKING experiences is often exhibited in suicidal behavior due to stress:  deciding to let someone know about their abuse;  finding an end or solution to being violated;  dealing with the isolation and loneliness of abusive scenarios; and of course just merely trying to cope with being raped, molested, and violently controlled.  No minor has any real maturity or power of consent to mentally assess her victimization in experiencing Child Sexual Abuse/Trafficking.  Under such duress, she or he may wrongly consider suicide as a true answer and a relief from the pain of violation.

 

It is important to understand that in the trauma of CSA/Trafficking a girl or boy is using a child’s mind to maintain sanity and emotional normalcy while being regularly betrayed, stigmatized, made powerless, and corrupted physically and emotionally traumatized counterfeit, violent sexualization through rape (2).  Within the life of a child experiencing CSA/Trafficking such devastation can lead a child to consider her life to be a hopeless endeavor and that leaving a world that only uses her begins to make sense to a tormented body and mind. 

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It is time to end Child Sexual Abuse/Trafficking throughout society to protect the lives of every child and to save children from reacting by suicide to the devaluation each has experienced through being sexually exploited.  

 

We thank you for your continued support of Julie’s Haven and our mission to offer girls who have been physically or sexually abused and or sexually trafficked an opportunity to heal by discovering their Purpose, Passion, and Power to begin or continue a positive healing journey.  The information we share at JH provides Awareness Protects strategies that encourage the discovery of the Unique Value as a person for our girl readers/participants to every platform and workshops.  Help us spread the word about CSA/TRAFFICKING and become more aware of the crisis on girls in your influence and around the world.

 

1. https://www.psychiatrist.com/pcc/trauma/ptsd/sexual-abuse-impact-suicidal-ideation-attempts-psychiatric-illness-children-adolescents-with-posttraumatic-stress-disorder/ 

2. Finkelhor D, Browne A. The traumatic impact of child sexual abuse: a conceptualization. Am J Orthop. 1985;55(4):530–41.