The Influence Of Childhood Sexual Abuse On Adolescent Suicide Cases
We find ourselves in a time in which more and more cases of sexual abuse in childhood are coming to light, it might even seem that there is a boom in this type of abuse, although what is really happening is that they are becoming more and more visible.
According to studies, around 7.4% of men and 19.2% of women have been victims of this type of abusealthough these figures cannot be taken as determining factors due to the high number of cases that are not reported.
Contrary to what is believed, The most frequent sexual abuse of minors is committed within the family nucleus and by a person with whom the boy or girl has an emotional and trusting relationship.
Studies also reveal that in a high percentage of cases the abuse is carried out within a game context, which the adult uses to get the minors to participate without being aware of the implications of said behaviors and that is why, in In many cases, these behaviors go unnoticed by the rest of the family members, who are unaware of the facts.
The effects of having suffered sexual abuse in childhood
But what implication can sexual abuse in childhood have?
The studies carried out for this purpose inform us that psymptoms may appear both in the short and long term and that these symptoms They can affect all facets of a child’s life.
Although it is considered that around 30% of victims of sexual abuse do not present associated symptoms, the rest of the victims usually present a series of problems, both short and long term, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, feelings of guilt, stigmatization, attention and concentration problems, relationship problems, sleep disorders, uninhibited sexual behavior, suicidal ideas and suicide attempts, among other symptoms, which over time and if they persist can worsen to the point of death. emergence of depressive and bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, borderline personality disorders and self-destructive and self-harming behaviors (Pereda, 2009).
Suicides: figures and data
One of the most serious consequences given the intention to end one’s life is suicide. Around 50% of sexually abused men and 67% of women have or have had suicidal ideation and of them a considerable percentage has tried to end their life (11% of women and 4% of men).
More on this topic: “Suicides: data, statistics and associated mental disorders”
But is there data to support this claim? The answer is yes. Studies regarding adolescent suicide are scarce due to the social impact they have since, as in the case of sexual abuse, they are problems that remain underlying and do not come to light easily, but already in 1991 Cirillo and Blasco stated that the Victims of sexual abuse who had not felt heard or protected had tendencies to exhibit self-aggressive behavior that could lead to suicide.
Another study reveals that abuse, without distinction of category, in childhood is associated with suicide in adults at a rate of 5.53% and that the severity of the abuse could even influence the onset and frequency of these attempts, seeming There is a correlation between suicide attempts and the time elapsed since the abuse occurred, since these behaviors appeared around 2 years after having suffered them (González-Forteza, Ramos Lira, Vignau Brambila and Ramírez Villarreal, 2001 ).
Looking at these figures It seems clear that there is an important correlation between having suffered sexual abuse in childhood and making suicide attempts in adolescence..
Although it is not the only cause that motivates them, since studies that are based only on adolescent suicide attempts present as risk factors for this type of behavior, in addition to abuse in childhood, the existence of family dysfunction , anxious-depressive symptoms and behavioral problems. Even so, the data are alarming and reveal the enormous consequences, both psychologically and physically, that abused people can suffer during childhood.
