Healing from Childhood Sexual Molestation

This article is primarily intended for adults who have been the victim of childhood sexual molestation. If you are still a minor, and you have been sexually molested, please call Child-Help USA @ 1- 800- 4- A- Child. Child Help USA has trained professionals who are able to help you 24 hours a day - no matter where you are, they can get someone to protect you; immediately if necessary. If you are an adult who has been sexually molested as a child, please read on.

Childhood sexual molestation is a form of child abuse that involves any type of sexual contact between a minor, and an adult or older adolescent. If you have been a victim of childhood sexual abuse, you know that it is a trauma that can stay in the shadows of your life well into adulthood. You have to believe that you do not have to live your life under the emotional weight of past sexual abuse.

You should realize that childhood sexual molestation does not only involve direct physical contact. Think about it, to be molested is to be to bothered, interfered with, or annoyed. If someone has bothered you, interfered with your daily routine, or annoyed you in a way that includes sexual undertones -- you have been sexually molested. If you can think back to your childhood and you can remember an adult or older adolescent who was constantly "creepy" in some sexual manner, you can bet that this person was/is probably a sexual predator.

You should know that it does not matter whether you are male or female, nor does it matter whether your abuser was male or female. We all know about the scenario of sexual abuse occurring between an adult male and a female or male minor. However, it is equally possible, and just as repugnant for a female to sexually abuse a male or female child.

You need to have the utmost faith that you were in no way responsible for childhood sexual abuse. Know that it does not matter what you may have said or done, absolutely NOTHING can justify sexual contact or activity between an adult and a child. Your abuser is 100% responsible for his/her own action, anyone who tries to tell you anything different is mentally unbalanced - don't ever entertain any individual who would even suggest that you were responsible for sexual abuse, childhood or otherwise.

Contact a mental health professional to help you on your journey. You will want to interview therapists and make sure that they are a good fit with your personality and beliefs. Never just assume that a mental health professional is qualified simply by virtue of his/her credentials alone.

Understand that the therapist is only there to help guide you through the process of getting well. You will have to do all of the hard work it takes to reclaim your life from the trauma of being sexually molested as a child. Believe that a happy life is worth the hard fight, and know that you will get there if you put your whole heart into the process.

*Contact the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network @ 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or The National Domestic Violence Hotline @ 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) if you wish to speak with someone about your issues immediately.