The effect of sexual abuse on sexual functioning such as low sexual desire began to be noticed in the 1970’s. 80% of female CSA survivors admitted to sexual problems, including low sexual desire (Courtois, 1999). Since then, an abundance of studies on the effects of CSA on sexual desire have been done. Different studies included statistics on an inability to enjoy sex and lack of interest in having sex (McGuire & Wagner, 1978). It was also discovered that females were avoiding sexual intercourse, experienced lack of initiation of sex, reaching an orgasm, and denied their sexuality (McGuire & Wagner, 1978).
Sarwer and Durlak (1995) acknowledged specific components of sexual abuse, such as sexual penetration or receiving and performing oral sex, that were explicitly associated with female sexual disorders and projected the higher rates of potential low sexual desire among female survivors of CSA. Women reported experiencing emotions such as fear, disgust, and anger during sexual arousal. Women with a history of CSA perceived their sexuality as a negative part of them that needed to be shut down (Sarwer & Durlak, 1995). Moreover, disturbing memories originating from CSA trauma added sexual difficulties with patient’s fantasies, desires, arousal, orgasm, negative body image and attitudes about sexuality, and painful intercourse. It was explored that CSA factors such as whether the abuser was known by the child, the extent and duration of the abuse, amount of force employed, and negative messages and shaming activities by persons in the child’s environment (Schloredt & Heiman, 2003). All are risk factors in exacerbating the trauma suffered by the child. They expanded the importance of the two factors: gender of the victim and the age at onset of victimization. In particular, boys showed likelihood of more externalized behavior through hostility, sexualized behavior, and compulsive behaviors. In comparison, girls were more likely to take on anxious and depressive symptomatic qualities. In this way, boys who are victims of CSA are more likely to become hypersexual in adulthood. On the other hand, girls were inclined to avoid sexual behaviors. Subsequently, girls are attacked with negative sexual messages. …show more content…
If they are victims of CSA they are much more inclined to discover the “badness” in the offender or in the sexual act itself. They were plentiful studies done to support the hypothesis that female victims of CSA are more likely to develop a fear of sex in their adulthood life. Indeed, Swaby and Morgan (2009) propose that sexual dysfunctions such as low desire could be a consequence of anxiety. As we know, when we decide if something is bad, frightening, and terrifying, then it could result in a fear response. In this way a positive view of sexuality results in internal signs of badness. So, if a negative sexual encounter is experienced, then it would result in externalizing behavior of experiencing low desire. Equally, those negative views could correlate with the feelings of shame and externalize through fear reactions (low sexual desire together with withdrawal and apathy). Moreover, Morgan and Cummings (1999) explored negative consequences of women who continued to be affected by childhood sexual abuse. These included a fear and distrust of men and sexual problems as the most frequent long term outcomes of the abuse.
Recently, clinical interest on CSA survivors has increased with an attention to adult sexual functioning. In 2007, it was assessed that in the United States 60,344 children out of 794,000 victims of abuse were sexually abused, a7.6% prevalence rate (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009). In 2009, the records of sexually abused children had increased to 68,400 out of 720,000 abused victims, a 9.5% prevalence rate (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Unfortunately, exact rates of prevalence of sexual disorders in the general population are not available, but could be concluded from an assortment of research done. It was estimated that about 20% of the entire population has hypoactive sexual disorders, such as lack of sexual desire, where 30% of this population were female survivors of CSA. Furthermore, lifetime occurrence reported by the women were 36% -fear of sex, 32%- diminished sexual interest, and 36%- less than desirable sexual pleasure (Kinzl, Traweger, & Biebl, 1995). The influence of CSA on a woman 's sexual functioning can be seen in both suppressed emotions and expressed behaviors. Schloredt and Heiman (2003) established that women who were survivors of CSA were expected more than non-victims of CSA to experience complications
Sarwer and Durlak (1995) acknowledged specific components of sexual abuse, such as sexual penetration or receiving and performing oral sex, that were explicitly associated with female sexual disorders and projected the higher rates of potential low sexual desire among female survivors of CSA. Women reported experiencing emotions such as fear, disgust, and anger during sexual arousal. Women with a history of CSA perceived their sexuality as a negative part of them that needed to be shut down (Sarwer & Durlak, 1995). Moreover, disturbing memories originating from CSA trauma added sexual difficulties with patient’s fantasies, desires, arousal, orgasm, negative body image and attitudes about sexuality, and painful intercourse. It was explored that CSA factors such as whether the abuser was known by the child, the extent and duration of the abuse, amount of force employed, and negative messages and shaming activities by persons in the child’s environment (Schloredt & Heiman, 2003). All are risk factors in exacerbating the trauma suffered by the child. They expanded the importance of the two factors: gender of the victim and the age at onset of victimization. In particular, boys showed likelihood of more externalized behavior through hostility, sexualized behavior, and compulsive behaviors. In comparison, girls were more likely to take on anxious and depressive symptomatic qualities. In this way, boys who are victims of CSA are more likely to become hypersexual in adulthood. On the other hand, girls were inclined to avoid sexual behaviors. Subsequently, girls are attacked with negative sexual messages. …show more content…
If they are victims of CSA they are much more inclined to discover the “badness” in the offender or in the sexual act itself. They were plentiful studies done to support the hypothesis that female victims of CSA are more likely to develop a fear of sex in their adulthood life. Indeed, Swaby and Morgan (2009) propose that sexual dysfunctions such as low desire could be a consequence of anxiety. As we know, when we decide if something is bad, frightening, and terrifying, then it could result in a fear response. In this way a positive view of sexuality results in internal signs of badness. So, if a negative sexual encounter is experienced, then it would result in externalizing behavior of experiencing low desire. Equally, those negative views could correlate with the feelings of shame and externalize through fear reactions (low sexual desire together with withdrawal and apathy). Moreover, Morgan and Cummings (1999) explored negative consequences of women who continued to be affected by childhood sexual abuse. These included a fear and distrust of men and sexual problems as the most frequent long term outcomes of the abuse.
Recently, clinical interest on CSA survivors has increased with an attention to adult sexual functioning. In 2007, it was assessed that in the United States 60,344 children out of 794,000 victims of abuse were sexually abused, a7.6% prevalence rate (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009). In 2009, the records of sexually abused children had increased to 68,400 out of 720,000 abused victims, a 9.5% prevalence rate (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Unfortunately, exact rates of prevalence of sexual disorders in the general population are not available, but could be concluded from an assortment of research done. It was estimated that about 20% of the entire population has hypoactive sexual disorders, such as lack of sexual desire, where 30% of this population were female survivors of CSA. Furthermore, lifetime occurrence reported by the women were 36% -fear of sex, 32%- diminished sexual interest, and 36%- less than desirable sexual pleasure (Kinzl, Traweger, & Biebl, 1995). The influence of CSA on a woman 's sexual functioning can be seen in both suppressed emotions and expressed behaviors. Schloredt and Heiman (2003) established that women who were survivors of CSA were expected more than non-victims of CSA to experience complications