Sexual Abuse of Adults
Sexual Trauma – Adults
by Jonathan Huttner
Sexual abuse, adults experience it all too often. Sexual abuse of adults includes sexual harassment as well as rape. These abuses can lead to sexual trauma in adults, both male and female.
Sexual abuse of adults in the form of sexual harassment includes the unwelcome sexual advances or sexual contact by another adult. Adults involved in sexual abuse and harassment activities may ask for sexual favors, tell off-color jokes of a sexual nature or use crude or abusive language directed at an individual of the opposite sex. The recipients of this sexually abusive behavior often blame themselves and believe they are sexually abused because of something they did.
Rape is the sexual abuse of adults who are forced to have sexual intercourse against their will. Usually, rapists perform this form of sexual abuse of adults to fulfill a certain desire of power or out of deep-seeded anger. Sexual abuse of this kind is usually not about the sex at all.
In many situations, the sexually abused victim knows the attacker. The crime can even occur within a marriage. Sexual abuse of adults involved in a rape may also experience sodomy, or anal intercourse, as well as forced fellatio (oral sex). Many times, the sexually abused adult is threatened with death or serious bodily harm. The forced sexual abuse is often followed by the victim experiencing self-doubt and self-blame for the assault or questioning if they could have done something differently to avoid it. These feelings of shame are often followed by a feeling of helplessness and anger. Without treatment, those adults who have experienced sexual abuse may never fully be able to resume normal lives.
Due to the shame and embarrassment involved in sexual trauma or sexual abuse, adults try to handle the feelings associated with the event on their own. Unfortunately sexual trauma is something that most people need help coming to terms with. The feelings of depression, anger, rage, resentment or despair can be overwhelming. It is not unusual for those adults who experienced sexual abuse to turn to drugs or alcohol as a means of coping with their feelings or memories. In many cases, the drug use turns into drug abuse and addiction, while the feelings associated with the sexual trauma not only remain, but can grow even more intense.
Treatment for Sexual Abuse – Adults
When it comes to drug abuse caused by sexual abuse, adults should seek help within an addiction treatment center or drug rehab capable of treating the drug addiction in conjunction with the sexual trauma. Adults also need to be aware of eating disorders that may arise after sexual abuse. These disorders, which can include anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating, often occur after adult trauma. With either drug addiction or an eating disorder, the behavior must first be discontinued before the issues surrounding the sexual trauma or abuse can be effectively treated. Thanks to the many treatments available for sexual abuse, adults can recover from this trauma and return to a normal lives, drug free and healed, both physically and emotionally.
Jonathan Huttner is one of the founders of Lakeview Health Systems, which has treated over 7,000 people from throughout the United States. Jonathan has been involved in the field of addiction and eating disorder treatment for the last 25 years.
