Victims with a history of sexual abuse will often present secondary symptoms before the abuse is uncovered. It is important that these symptoms be recognized as a possible reaction to something greater than the symptomatic condition itself.
Some of the behaviors and symptoms exhibited by victims of child sexual abuse are:
- Trouble sleeping/ or excessive sleeping
- Nightmares
- Discomfort around children that are the same age as when the child was themselves abused
- Panic and/or anxiety attacks
- Sexual Promiscuity
- Sexual acting out
- Sexual problems or disinterest in sex
- Discomfort with people that are the same gender as their abuser
- Lack of memory of being a child or missing large blocks of their childhood
- A hunch or intuition that sexual abuse occurred
- A pervasive feeling of powerlessness
- Suicide attempts or strong suicidal wishes
- Depression
- Drug/Alcohol addiction
- Self Hatred
- Self Mutilation
- Repeated victimization such as rape or domestic violence
- Unexplained physical or emotional numbness
- Lack of trust
- Shame
- People pleasing/rescuing at an early age
- Excessive need to control
- Obsessive/compulsive behavior patterns
- Low self-esteem/needy
- Weak boundaries
- Unhealthy choices in members of the opposite sex
- Neurotic tendencies
- Eating disorders
- Chronic illness
- Manic-depressive behavior (extreme emotions)