What to do if you've, or someone you know has been Sexually Abused:
If you are in immediate danger, call emergency services and get somewhere safe.
DO NOT SHOWER OR BATHE, get to the nearest hospital where they can give you appropriate medical care.
Help for Sexual Abuse 1 (800) 656 – HOPE (4673) or www.rainn.org
Signs of Sexual Abuse:
Nightmares/ sleeping problems
Distracted/distant
Sudden change in eating habits/refuses to eat
Trouble swallowing
Sudden mood swings
Develops fear/anxiety around people
Refuses to talk about secrets
Writes/draws/plays/dreams about sexual of frightening things
Talks about new, older friend
Thinks of body as dirty, repulsive or bad
Self-injures
Inadequate personal hygiene
Runs away from home
Depression/anxiety/suicide attempts
Drug or alcohol abuse
Sexual promiscuity
Fear of intimacy
Survivors May Feel:
Fear responses to reminders of assault
Anxiety or wondering if/when they will feel safe again
Flashbacks
Problems concentrating
Guilty feelings
Negative self-image
Anger
Depression
Warning Signs that may suggest someone is Sexually Abusive:
Making others uncomfortable by ignoring social, emotional, or physical boundaries
Refusing to let a child set his/her own boundaries
Insisting on hugging, tickling, kissing, touching, wrestling, or holding a child; even if the child doesn’t agree
Turning to a child for emotional or physical comfort by sharing personal information
Frequently pointing out sexual images or telling inappropriate jokes with child present
Exposing child to adult sexual interactions without concern
Having secrets with children or teens
Seeming “Too Good to Be True” (frequently babysitting for free, buying kids gifts, etc.)
Sexual Abuse Statistics:
Every 98 seconds someone is sexually assaulted and every 8 minutes that victim is a child
1 out of every 6 women have been sexually assaulted
About 3% of American Men (1 in 33) have experienced an attempted or completed rape
From 2009-2013 CPS found that 63,000 children were victims of sexual abuse
Of the victims under 18; 34% are under 12, and 66% are 12-17 years old.
9 out of 10 victims are female.
55% of sexual assaults occur at/near the victim’s home; 15% in an open public space; 12% at/near a relative’s home; 10% in an enclosed but public space and 8% on school campus.
94% of victim’s experience PTSD following a sexual assault.