The Impacts of Sexual Abuse on Children

written by:

Aufa Nabhila (12320071)

Trian Wahyu Hamidatur Rozaqoh (12320098)

 

Nowadays, crimes are emerging everyday in everywhere. People seem to be frightened to go somewhere alone because various crimes are threatening their lives. Not only adults, children also become the vulnerable targets of the criminals. Sexual abuse on children is one kind of these criminal cases and has become a very popular term in society. The current issue of this case is the incident that happens in Jakarta International School where a student is sexually assaulted by two cleaning staff. The victim is reported to have some problems after the incident, such as depression, some pain on his body, and inability to express his feelings. These impacts prove that sexual abuse on children can affect them emotionally, physically, and socially.

Children who are abused experience some emotional problems, such as anger, hostility, fear, humiliation, and an inability to express feelings. They may become passive and think they cannot change their lives to be better. In addition, they may lose their energy and hope, believing that the whole world is a dangerous place. Besides, they may have trouble in learning, because their brain is busy with the stress of violent environment. Moreover, the long‐term emotional consequences will be more dangerous. For example, children who are abused are at risk of experiencing low self‐esteem, depression, drug or alcohol dependence, and even suicide. Therefore, there should be the right treatment for these abused children.

Beyond emotional effects, there are also physical effects of sexual abuse on children. Physically, abused children might have unusual injuries on their bodies. For example, wounds on the genitals, on the thighs and around the eyes. Abused children might also have poor hygiene such as an unwashed body or hair and unpleasant body odor. In the other hand, they might have trouble in walking or sitting because of disabling pain or injuries on their bodies. Therefore, they are afraid to change their clothes in front of other people and do not want others seeing their bodies. They might also avoid engaging in physical exercises because they worry people will touch their pained bodies. Children with this kind of problems should be cured immediately till doctors determine that the children are medically fit.

The other effect of sexual abuse on children is social effect. Immediate social consequences can include an inability to form friendship, poor social skills, poor cognitive and language skills. They refuse to participate in social activities, avoid sitting with peers and even distrust of others. They do not seem curious or interested in the sight, sounds or people in the environment. Abused children may also become aggressive and bullying others. In their adult life, the long‐term consequences can impact other people around them as well, such as crimes and unemployment. These social impacts are threatening not only the abused children themselves but also their environment.

Sexual abuse on children is a common problem worldwide. It affects children emotionally, physically and socially. These effects influence not only the abused children themselves but also their families and their communities. Therefore, it becomes everyone responsibility to always be aware of any kind of abuses and assaults. Parents have the most important role to take care of their children. If parents cannot control their children all the time, they can take trusted caregiver to guard their children. The main point is that children have to have the secure and healthy environment, in order that they are out of danger. It is because once children have experienced violence, recovery is the hardest part to finish.