Understanding Childhood Sexual Abuse and the Role of Family Therapy in Recovery

The assignment content discusses the traumatic effects of childhood sexual abuse on children and their families. It highlights that childhood sexual abuse has long-term effects such as depression, guilt, shame, self-blame, stomach concerns, anxiety, dissociative patterns, denial, sexual problems, and relationship problems. The content emphasizes the importance of family therapy in helping children and their families cope with the trauma and lead a normal life. It also underscores the role of therapists in evaluating the family system, setting goals, and providing strategies to help the child and their family deal with the situation.

Running head: TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
Trauma and crisis counselling
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note:

1
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
1)Trauma and Sexual abuse in Childhood
This essay will talk about the trauma and sexual abuse that most of child goes through
and how it affects them and make them traumatized. There are many forms of childhood sexual
abuse. Childhood sexual abuse is one of the most essential subjects that have received a lot of
attention in recent years. This sexual abuse in childhood has caused psychological damage to
many children (Mrazek & Kempe, 2014). In recent years, there have been a lot of cases of
alleged abuse within institutions that have led to litigation for compensation. Sexual abuse from
a very early age particularly creates a sinister type of trauma because of the shame it instils in the
victim. In childhood sexual abuse, victims are often too young to realize how to express what is
happening to seek out for help. Children often are traumatized due to this abuse and suffer from a
lifetime psychological effects like, depression, PTSD and anxiety (Lindert et al., 2014). The
trauma that results from sexual abuse is a syndrome that affects not just the victim but their
families as well. It is considered to be a syndrome and therefore the not only the child but the
entire family should go through counselling. It is very important that the that counsellors are
aware of and familiar with the symptoms and long term effects associated with childhood sexual
abuse in order to help gain a deeper understanding of what is needed in counselling (Devries et
al., 2014).
Amongst all the traumas, depression has been found to be the most common long-term
symptom among survivors. Survivors may have difficulty in externalizing the abuse, thinking
negatively about themselves. In fact, when an esteemed trusted adult does the sexual abuse it
becomes even more difficult for the children to view the doer in a negative light, by leaving them
incapable of seeing what happened as not their fault (Matulis et al., 2014).

2
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
This essay will define childhood sexual abuse and will review the impact it can have,
explore the long-term effects and the symptoms associated with childhood sexual abuse and how
counselling will play a role in terms of treating the person. To treat this first it important to know
the cause of it, as per research there are many cases where a family member or relative does the
seduction. On the other strangers, commit the violent way of this act. Sexual abuse has many
different forms; it can take on, the different level of frequency, the variation of circumstances it
can occur within, and the different relationships that may be associated (Finkelhor et al., 2014).
Most startling statistics discovered during research into sexual abuse are that children are three
times as likely to be victims of child abuse. This kind of sexual abuse has been correlated with
higher levels of depression, guilt, shame, self-blame, stomach concern, anxiety, dissociative
patterns, denial, sexual problems, and relationship problems (James & Prout, 2015). It affects the
victim both physically and mentally.
2) Family therapy:
Sexual abuse is that sinister type of trauma that brings more shame to the victimized
child. A child is unaware about the happenings and reaching out for help turns more difficult
when the person or precisely the attacker is someone in their family. However, there are many
therapy style that helps the child return to normal life and among them family therapy can be
highly recommended because love, care and time makes every wound heal (Van der Kolk,
2017). If a child has a supportive and caring family who supports them after the incidents then
they will eventually return to life.

3
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
Family therapy is psychologically that specific type of counselling that offers the family
members with the improvement of communication and understanding as not only the victims
suffer after the accident but the family also suffers largely (Butcher, Mineka & Hooley, 2013).
Hence, it is very important to make them go through some therapy that will help them to take
proper decisions and support their child as well. Family therapy helps the child and their family
members to solve their inner conflicts and fight with the tough situation to get a normal life.
Family therapy describes that often individuals have problem to express themselves in isolation,
for a kid it turns more difficult, and after being victimized they will express their pain better with
their family’s support (Gladding, 2014).
CBT or cognitive behavioural therapy is joint treatment for the child who has suffered
through sexual abuse and their parents. This model views the importance of family or parents
after a child faces sexual abuse. This is a process, used for reducing the trauma, which the child
has after they have suffered the sexual abuse with supporting their families in the post trauma
stage. This model helps the child develop the skill to cop up with that situation and this model
restructure their life from the traumatic experience (Cohen & Mannarino, 2015). This model
helps in developing the approach of care towards the children from their family. This model
offers the coping strategy to the child and their family using which they are able to fight with the
situation, manage the trauma, and control their emotions. After suffering from sexual abuse, the
victim goes through a major crisis in life.
Every crime has a different reaction, sexual abuse is such a crime that makes a person
turn into pieces, and for a child it is a pathetic and terrible experience and reaction of which turns
to be the fear, helplessness and hopelessness. The reactions lead to trauma, which is very
unwanted expression for the child because when a child is in trauma they may often lose their

4
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
mental state and turn mentally unwell. The chosen therapy and the chosen model are correlated
and both bring out the importance of family and parents for the child who is in severe trauma
after the accident took place (Dobson & Dobson, 2016). A child always needs the support of the
family to disclose the happenings properly in front of an unknown person and in the severe
situation; it is recommended that the child get the mental support from their family.
3) Application, Strengths and limitations of family therapy:
When a child is sexually abused, they go through many dynamics which are traumatic
sexualisation, stigmatization, betrayal, powerlessness (Graham & Reynolds, 2013). These
dynamics change the cognitive emotions of the affected child and the child is traumatized and
they lose control and focus in their lives. Family therapy along with some counselling process
helps the traumatized child and their family to get well. The counselling often includes the
structural therapy, strategic therapy when a child is involved. There are number of sessions that
make the child and their family mentally well so that they can cop up with the situation. The
therapist meets the family members either at a time or individually to understand the individual
perspectives. The therapist gets a clear and analytical outline about the situation.
Family therapy is also related to relationship therapy as the therapist try to figure out the
individual perspective in this process rather than the perspectives that is present within them.
Family theory is often helpful to solve issues and as sexual abuse is a very serious issue, it needs
the guidance of someone so that even the family members prepare themselves for fighting the
situation (Henin et al., 2016). The therapist in a family therapy for sexual abuse happened with
child evaluates how the family works together and what are the existing problems that may
create a problem in the system. The therapist set some goals for the family members and the

5
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
affected child and helps them with strategies so that they can cop up with the situation. The
therapist helps the family to be stronger and make them realize that how much the child needs
their support. The therapist does this because for identifying the emotional condition of the child
and working on that after they have suffered from the sexual abuse (Henin et al., 2016).
Structural therapy has its focus on making the foundation of the family strong because
when a family goes through the time after their child has faced the sexual abuse they face many
criticisms from the society and fail to support their child who is traumatized due to the sufferings
(Friedberg & McClure, 2015). The therapist in this case helps the family to gain back their
confidence and fight the trauma. On the other hand, in strategic therapy, the therapists make the
family work on their own relationship and the therapist takes all the responsibility of the result of
this particular therapy. The therapist observes the people of the family, evaluates the problem
through different perspectives, and then guides them in how they can reduce the trauma. Sexual
abuse consists of many different forms and takes on different level of frequency, and is
associated with different relationships that may be and have a positive turn towards life (Dalle
Grave et al., 2013). Children often are traumatized due to sexual abuse and they are unable to tell
them to anyone due to the fear but with the help of this therapy, they are able to convey the
happenings.
4) Key aspects:
From the above it can be concluded that Sexual abuse to a child is very abusive and
traumatic issue. Sexual abuse of a child is an engraving issue in today’s world. Childhood sexual
abuse is one of the most essential subjects that have received a lot of attention in recent years.
This sexual abuse in childhood has caused psychological damage to many children. Having so

6
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
huge amount of child affected by this, they often search for therapy that will help them to get
better and even help their family to cop up with the situation and lead a normal life. All the kind
of sexual abuse are correlated with increasing levels of depression, guilt, shame, self-blame,
stomach concern, anxiety, dissociative patterns, denial, sexual problems, and relationship
problems and the child gets traumatized. It is very important that there are counsellors are aware
of the situation and familiar with the symptoms and long-term effects associated with childhood
sexual abuse that can help the children and their gain a deeper understanding about the situation
and work on it with proper thinking. Family therapy is the most convenient way as the child
affected mostly searches for the support of their parents and in this condition; the parents must
support their child. However, there are only few number of parents are there who supports their
child in this condition and that is why there is a need of therapists who will help both the child
and parents to control themselves in the situation. The trauma that results from sexual abuse is a
syndrome that affects not just the victim but their families as well. This is a particular type of
syndrome and that is why not only the child but the entire family requires going through
counselling. Family therapy along with some counselling process helps the traumatized child and
their family to get well. The counselling often includes the structural therapy, strategic therapy
when a child is involved. In this traumatic situation, Structural therapy has its focus on making
the foundation of the family strong and the therapist plays a vital role in the situation. The
therapist in the family therapy to treat the trauma of sexual abuse that happened with child
evaluates the togetherness of the family and finds out the existing problems, which creates
problem in the family system. The therapist helps in setting some goals for the family members
as well as the affected child and tries to help them with strategies so that they can cop up with the
situation. Sexual abuse towards a child needs to be resolved and that is why therapies and the

7
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
role of family are very important so that the child comes out of the trauma and leads a normal
life without any fear and depression.
References:
Butcher, J. N., Mineka, S., & Hooley, J. M. (2013). Abnormal psychology. Pearson Education
Cohen, J. A., & Mannarino, A. P. (2015). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for
traumatized children and families. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North
America, 24(3), 557.
Dalle Grave, R., Calugi, S., Doll, H. A., & Fairburn, C. G. (2013). Enhanced cognitive behaviour
therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa: an alternative to family
therapy?. Behaviour research and therapy, 51(1), R9-R12.
Devries, K. M., Mak, J. Y., Child, J. C., Falder, G., Bacchus, L. J., Astbury, J., & Watts, C. H.
(2014). Childhood sexual abuse and suicidal behavior: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics, peds-
2013.
Dobson, D., & Dobson, K. S. (2016). Evidence-based practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Guilford Publications.
Finkelhor, D., Shattuck, A., Turner, H. A., & Hamby, S. L. (2014). The lifetime prevalence of
child sexual abuse and sexual assault assessed in late adolescence. Journal of Adolescent
Health, 55(3), 329-333.
Friedberg, R. D., & McClure, J. M. (2015). Clinical practice of cognitive therapy with children
and adolescents: The nuts and bolts. Guilford Publications.

8
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
Gladding, S. T. (2014). Family therapy: History, theory, and practice. Pearson Higher Ed.
Graham, P., & Reynolds, S. (Eds.). (2013). Cognitive behaviour therapy for children and
families. Cambridge University Press.
Henin, A., Micco, J. A., Schoeller, M., Boudreaux, A., & Hirshfeld-Becker, D. (2016). Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy with Children and Adolescents. In The Massachusetts General
Hospital Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(pp. 259-275). Springer New York.
James, A., & Prout, A. (Eds.). (2015). Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary
issues in the sociological study of childhood. Routledge.
Levine, H. B. (2014). Adult analysis and childhood sexual abuse. Routledge.
Lindert, J., von Ehrenstein, O. S., Grashow, R., Gal, G., Braehler, E., & Weisskopf, M. G.
(2014). Sexual and physical abuse in childhood is associated with depression and anxiety
over the life course: systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Public
Health, 59(2), 359-372.
Matulis, S., Resick, P. A., Rosner, R., & Steil, R. (2014). Developmentally adapted cognitive
processing therapy for adolescents suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder after
childhood sexual or physical abuse: A pilot study. Clinical Child and Family Psychology
Review, 17(2), 173-190.
Mrazek, P. B., & Kempe, C. H. (Eds.). (2014). Sexually Abused Children & Their Families.
Elsevier.

9
TRAUMA AND CRISIS COUNSELLING
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2017). Developmental Trauma Disorder: Toward a rational diagnosis for
children with complex trauma histories. Psychiatric annals, 35(5), 401-408.