Physical and Sexual Abuse
"You may trod me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I'll rise." -- Maya Angelou
Reported incidents of child sexual abuse are markedly on the rise and these reports represent only a small portion of actual occurrences of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse affects people from all class, income, profession, religion and race. It is currently estimated that one-third of all children are sexually abused before the age of 18. This includes 40% of all females and 30% of all males. The vast majority of these reports involve very young children, below age seven.
If you have survived sexual abuse, you know the anguish and shattered dreams. Some of the symptoms of sexual abuse you may have experienced are:
- Damaged goods: Worthless or ‘dirty’, low self-esteem, depression, self-destructiveness, guilt, shame, self-blame, constant search for approval and nurturance.
- Betrayal: Impaired ability to trust, anger, grief, difficulty forming relationships.
- Helplessness: Anxiety, fear, tendency towards re-victimization, panic attacks.
- Isolation: Sense of being different, stigmatized, lack of supports, poor peer relations.
If you are a survivor of sexual or physical abuse and are experiencing one or more of the above symptoms or the effects of the abuse is preventing you from living a full life, it is time to get help. TCFI has trained staff to help you, so take a moment to care for yourself and give us a call at: (281) 421-1524 or email us at info@tcfi.org