TRIGGER WARNING: This website, or pages it links to contains information about trauma, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and/or violence, which may be triggering to some readers.

 Understanding Trauma

Statistics tell us that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 5 boys[i] will experience some type of sexual abuse/assault before the age of 18. It is very likely, then, that visitors to this site could include individuals who have experienced sexual abuse at some point in their life.

[i] https://www.ispcan.org/ 

What the mental health professionals tell us

Because of the general lack of understanding of trauma, how it manifests and what is needed to heal, we believe it is important on our CLC website to provide links to reliable information about trauma resulting from sexual abuse, the various ways it can express itself, and what can be done to heal. We want to dispel a lot of the myths that people might have.

Myths about childhood trauma

  • kids ‘get over it’

  • it doesn’t bother them once they grow up because, as adults, they seem able to function;

  • there is nothing can be done about it years later;

  • male pedophiles who abuse boys are homosexuals;

  • all homosexual people are pedophiles.

Even though these myths are demonstrably false, many people still believe them. As Catholic Christians called to show love and compassion to the “little ones,” we share these resources so you can become better informed and therefore more understanding of the suffering of our brothers and sisters who have been abused by our church leaders.

Trauma is a wound. Often an invisible wound. Trauma occurs when a person is confronted with a threat to the physical integrity of self or another where the threat overwhelms coping resources and evokes subjective responses of intense helplessness, terror and horror.

Emotional and psychological trauma

Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. It can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people.

Symptoms of psychological trauma

We all react to trauma in different ways, experiencing a wide range of physical and emotional reactions. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to think, feel, or respond, so don’t judge your own reactions or those of other people. Your responses are NORMAL reactions to ABNORMAL events.

  • Emotional & psychological symptoms:

  • Shock, denial, or disbelief

  • Confusion, difficulty concentrating

  • Anger, irritability, mood swings

  • Anxiety and fear

  • Guilt, shame, self-blame

  • Withdrawing from others

  • Feeling sad or hopeless

  • Feeling disconnected or numb

  • Physical symptoms:

  • Insomnia or nightmares

  • Fatigue

  • Being startled easily

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Racing heartbeat

  • Edginess and agitation

  • Aches and pains

  • Muscle tension

[Source]

Frequently Asked Questions (about childhood trauma and sexual abuse)

Below are the most common questions that come up in our parish conversations. We have provided links to reputable clinical/psychological sites suggested by a professional clinician working in the treatment of children and families who have experienced sexual abuse.

 

Q. Why do people often not come forward till years later?

The most common symptoms of trauma are shock, disbelief and denial. These are often accompanied by guilt, shame and self-blame. It is not surprising, then, that it can take years for people who have been abused – either as children or adults- to gain the awareness and summon the courage to come forward and disclose what happened to them. Below are articles that explore the many factors that impact disclosure of abuse.

From Pyschology Today

Findings show that disclosure is multiply determined by a complex interplay of factors related to child characteristics, family environment, community influences, and cultural and societal attitudes. An ecological analysis is offered to understand these complexities. Unless barriers to disclosure are eradicated, negative effects of CSA can persist manifesting in serious mental health issues.

Q. How is childhood trauma experienced and expressed in adulthood?

Adults who were abused as children may experience many of the symptoms associated with trauma (see above). The severity, intensity and timing will differ from individual to individual.

Q. How is it possible that parents or caregivers do not know or do not do anything to stop it?

Parents and caregivers often talk about trusting the priest, being happy he expressed an interest in their son or daughter or that he was like ‘one of the family.’ They report they were raised to believe the priest was holy and could do no wrong, was not to be questioned. Priests who offended against children used the prevailing culture of clerical authority and unquestioning loyalty of faithful families, to gain access to vulnerable children. These same factors (minus the divine authority) are also at play when teachers, coaches and youth leaders abuse children. Parents are not responsible for the abuse inflicted on their children by someone in a position of trust. Having said that, because of growing awareness of the issue, parents can equip themselves with information to be aware of red flags and warning signs.

Q. Did the child do something to invite it?

Children do not know or understand sexuality as adults do. It is the adult who is responsible for their own behaviour:

Q. What about trauma suffered as a result of abuse in adulthood?

Trauma is trauma. Adults experience many of the same symptoms as children and also require support and professional intervention. Refer to the section above to learn about trauma in general. The following article reports on research into psychiatric diagnoses in individuals who experienced potentially-traumatic experiences (PTE’s) as children or as adults, and the types of diagnoses that correlate to different types of trauma.

Childhood trauma, trauma in adulthood, and psychiatric diagnoses” by Caron Zlotnick, Jennifer Johnson (…) and Sandra Saldivia in Comprehensive Psychiatry. Volume 49, Issue 2, March-April 2008 pp 163-169. or ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Me too movement- The MeToo movement has increased awareness of and accountability for sexual assault and harassment in adult contexts where power imbalances exist. Many adults, mostly women, have come forward to expose the abuse they suffered and trauma that resulted. <a data-preserve-html-node="true" ref="https://www.inspq.qc.ca/en/sexual-assault/fact-sheets/sexual-harassment" target=_blank">inspq.qc.ca/en/sexual-assault/fact-sheets/sexual-harassment

Lady Gaga Tells Oprah She Was 'Repeatedly' Raped at 19 and Developed PTSD She developed PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, because she didn't '"process the trauma," she shared in an emotional interview about mental health. By Claire Gillespie Updated January 06, 2020 health.com/condition/ptsd/lady-gaga-rape-ptsd

Q. Why are financial settlements necessary for victims/survivors?

Costs to the victim/victim’s family for medications, psychotherapy, lost wages due to appointments, court proceeding, precarious mental health affecting ability to maintain employment and sustain long-term healthy relationships, damages for pain and suffering - all impose an incredible financial toll on victims and their families. This is why financial reparation is critical. With no strings attached!

Q. Who commits sexual abuse?

There is no typical profile of someone who commits sexual abuse. People who sexually offend cross all socioeconomic, educational, gender, age, and cultural lines (Knight, 2010; Knight and King, 2012). Although 90-95% of abusers are males (Cortoni, Hanson, and Coache, 2010), females also commit sexual abuse. One regard in which females who sexually abuse others differ from males is that females are more likely than males to abuse younger children. www.atsa.com

Duty to Report

We reaffirm that all cases or suspected cases of child maltreatment, neglect or abuse, must be reported to child protection authorities in your jurisdiction. This is both the law in Canada and the policy of Canadian church authorities who take care never to interfere with on-going investigations by child welfare or law enforcement agencies. 

Disclaimer

Concerned Lay Catholics is not able to provide professional assistance to those who may have been victimized. If you are an adult who experienced sexual abuse/assault, either as a child or as an adult, and need professional assistance, we encourage you to reach out to the appropriate mental health resources in your community which can be accessed through Sexual Assault Centers, Police Victims Services, or Social Services. [Directory of Services for Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse]

This website is for information purposes only and does not offer nor provide professional advice of any kind -psychological, spiritual theological or legal- and should not be construed as such. The use of this site and any resources found herein is at the sole discretion of the user.