Impacts of Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse Treatment and Therapy in Toronto
What is Sexual Abuse?
Sexual abuse is non-consensual sexual contact. Regarding sexual abuse of a child, it is the involvement of a child, by an older individual, in an act of sexual gratification. Children cannot consent to any form of sexual activity. Sexual abuse can include sexual contact and non-contact sexual activities:
Rape, attempted rape, sexual assault
Sexual touching or activity without consent
Producing or sharing of sexual pictures without consent or witnessing of sexual acts without consent
Producing, owning or sharing sexual pictures of children
Indecent exposure
Obscene calls, text messages
Sex trafficking
For children, sexual abuse can include:
Sexual activities between an adult and an individual younger than 18
An older child or teen and a much younger child
Fortunately, there are many effective virtual and in-person treatments and therapies in Toronto that can help children who are struggling with the impacts of sexual abuse.
What are Common Signs of Sexual Abuse?
Children who are sexually abused may show the following physical and/or behavioural signs:
Physical Signs
Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
Bruises, lacerations, redness, swelling or bleeding in genital or anal area
Blood in urine or feces
Unusual or excessive itching or pain in the genital or anal area
Difficulty walking or sitting
Sexually transmitted disease or infections
Pregnancy
Difficulty urinating
Behavioural Signs
Preschool-Aged Children:
Age-inappropriate sexual plays with toys, self, and/or others or sexual drawings
Bizarre, sophisticated sexual knowledge
Fear of certain places (i.e. bedroom or bathroom)
Fire-setting
Bedwetting
Resists removing clothes when appropriate (i.e. baths, toilet, diapers)
Unusually secretive or make comments such as “I’ve got a secret”
Overly compliant
School-Aged Children:
Sudden change in eating habits
Increased aggression
Regressive behaviour (i.e. bedwetting, thumb sucking)
Uses younger children in sexual acts
Cruelty to others and/or animals
Changes in hygiene routines (i.e. stops bathing or bathes excessively)
Suddenly has money, toys or other gifts without explanation
Withdrawn
Resistant to hugging or being touched by others or particular person
Signs of anxiety, depression
Difficulty sleeping, nightmares
Overly protective of siblings
Adolescents:
Repeatedly runs away from home or school
Low self-esteem
Sudden change in eating habits; eating disorders
Promiscuity or prostitution
Intentionally makes themselves unattractive
Bathing excessively
Suddenly has money or other gifts without explanation
Substance abuse
Unusual fear of closeness or intimacy
Changes in school performance
Signs of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder
Adults:
Withdraw from relationships and activities
Anxiety about situations that did not cause anxiety in the past
Avoid specific situations
Signs of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder
Increased substance use
How to Support Children who are Sexually Abused?
For instructions:
Create a list of behaviour expectations with the child and discuss them
Break down tasks into smaller components and have frequent check-ins to ensure the child’s understanding
For social skills:
Use cards with scenarios that teach problem-solving and decision-making skills
For emotional regulation:
Use the zones of regulation or emotion cards to teach the child how to identify and label their emotions
Sexual Abuse Support for Families
For individuals and families in Toronto struggling with sexual abuse, there are a variety of in-person and virtual treatments that may be beneficial, including:
Programs and groups for kids that focus on behaviour and self-regulation
Individual and family therapy
Social skills training
Emotional regulation training
Play therapy
Dialectical behaviour therapy
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy
Behavioural therapy
Parent training for behavioural management for kids