The Missing Piece in Sexual Abuse Treatment
Presenter: Evelyn Wenzel, LCSW, CAP
Total Running Time: 01:22:54
Post-test and Training Certificate Available (1.5 Training Hours)
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Childhood sexual abuse has only become a societal issue in the past several decades. Consequently there is a lack of research, much of which began in the 1980’s. Finkelhor and Brown (1986) defined sexual abuse as any sexual activity involving a child under eighteen in which the other person is five or more years older than the child and in which any implicit or explicit coercion is used. Because of this power differential, older adolescents or adults are able to lure younger children into a sexual relationship which they do not have the maturity to give consent. Sexual abuse itself can be any number of intrusiveness behaviors ranging from pornography to exhibitionism to penetration (Wickham and West, 2002). About 20% of females and 10% of males will experience sexual abuse during their childhood. There is no set of symptoms with predictable sequelae for abuse. Abuse is not a just a traumatic event that happens sometime in the child’s life. It is enmeshed in the fabric of a dysfunctional family of origin and entwined in the conditioning process that occurred before and following abuse (Finkelhor, 1990). The combination of the already distorted family relationships, the event itself, and the condition contributes to the child’s maladaptive functioning. Abuse twists the child’s cognitive and affective capacities (Finklhor, 1990) and thus colors the way he or she views life. Written by Evelyn Wenzel LCSW, CAP. Mrs. Wenzel works with many sexually abused children, adolescents and adults in the Orlando area. For individual or group therapy, contact her at (407) 375-1214.
References: Finkelhor, D. Early and long-term effects of child sexual abuse: An update. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21, 325-330. Finkelhor, D., & Brown, A. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research. Psychological Bulletin, 99,66-77. Wickham, R., & West, J. (2002). Therapeutic Work with Sexually Abused Children. Sage Publications.
Margaret Hoelzer, a member of the powerful US Olympic Swimming team, returned home from Beijing with three Olympic metals. That in itself would be newsworthy, but she has used her triumphant Olympic performances to announce the secret that she has kept for many years – that she was sexually abused as a child.
It was the father of one of her friends that began the abuse. Margaret stated that it started when she was 5 years old and continued for about 2 years. She didn’t tell anyone about it until she was talking to a friend when she was 11 years old. Her friend urged her to tell her mother, which she did. Gratefully, her mother believed her and contacted the police. Although the perpetrator was arrested, no formal charges were made due to lack of evidence.
Another Olympian, speed skater Chris Witty, who won the gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, also used her popularity after the Games to tell her story of sexual abuse. Chris was overwhelmed by the number of people who came forward with their own stories of abuse after her revelation.
But what makes children keep silent after abuse? There are innumerable reasons why a child does not tell that they are being molested, especially if it is a family member who is perpetrating the abuse. Oftentimes the perpetrator will play games with the child that gradually becomes more sexualized over time. Eventually the child may feel guilty that they are responsible some how for the molestation and will remain silent. They may blame themselves because they did not say “no” or fight off the abuser. For some of these children, the abuse started at such an early age, that it seemed oddly normal. Sometimes the abuser will threaten the child, a pet, or his/her family. The molester may use violence and fear to silence the child. Research has shown, though, that more often than not, children do not report the abuse until time has elapsed,if they tell at all.
NOTE: you can freely redistribute this resource, electronically or in print, provided you leave the author’s contact information below intact.About the Author: Evelyn Wenzel,MSW,LCSW,CAP enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults. She specializes in PTSD, Depression,Addictions, Anxiety, self-injurious behavior, and sexual abuse. She has a diverse background in counseling, which includes working in a hospital setting, drug rehab, school counseling, home health counseling, and private practice. Evelyn has spoken on a variety of topics all over the state. She has spoken at the National Association of Social Workers, Christian school regional conferences, School Social Work National Conference, and school in-services. Some of the topics she has spoken on include: Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents, Sexual Abuse, Mandated Reporting, Depression, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders.
Tags: abuser, childhood sexual abuse, children, maintaining silence, Margaret Hoelzer, molester, Olympic swimming, perpetrator, PTSD, sexual abuse
Film mirrored reality when David Duchovny announced that he was entering into a rehabilitation facility for a long standing sexual addiction. On his current television program, “Californication”, Duchovny portrays a writer who engages in dangerous sexual liaisons. David Duchovny is best known for his television role as Mulder in The X Files.
It’s difficult to determine just how many people suffer from sexual addiction, internet pornography, or sexual compulsions. Six to eight percent of the population seeks treatment for sexual addiction, but because of the shame associated with this addiction, the actual number of people ensnared by it is thought to be considerably higher.
Alcohol and/or drugs often accompany sexual addiction. Alcohol, in particular, interferes with a person’s ability to reason, control impulses, and make positive societal choices. Sex is so desirable to the addict that he/she must have it regardless of the consequences. Schaeffer in his book Love or Addiction (2006) relates, “Paradoxically, love addiction is an unconscious attempt to gain control of our lives, and in so doing, we gradually go out of control by giving personal power to someone outside of ourselves. Addictive love is an attempt to satisfy our human hunger for security, sensation, power, identity, belonging, and meaning. It’s often associated with feelings of never having enough or not being enough.”
Like drugs, substances, and food, sexual addictions can be alleviated. Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy are two treatments that seem to be effectively used to treat sexual addictions. Attending a sexual addiction group is an extremely important component of regaining relationship health. Like all addictions, knowing emotional and psychological triggers and formulating a relapse treatment plan are important elements of the treatment process.
NOTE: you can freely redistribute this resource, electronically or in print, provided you leave the author’s contact information below intact.About the Author: Evelyn Wenzel,MSW,LCSW,CAP enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults. She specializes in PTSD, Depression,Addictions, Anxiety, self-injurious behavior, and sexual abuse. She has a diverse background in counseling, which includes working in a hospital setting, drug rehab, school counseling, home health counseling, and private practice. Evelyn has spoken on a variety of topics all over the state. She has spoken at the National Association of Social Workers, Christian school regional conferences, School Social Work National Conference, and school in-services. Some of the topics she has spoken on include: Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents, Sexual Abuse, Mandated Reporting, Depression, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders.
Tags: alcohol, Californication, cognitive behavioral therapy, cyberrsex, drugs, internet pornogrphy, love addiction, sexual addiction, sexual compulsion, sexual liaisons, treatment
Florida’s Center for the Advancement of Child Welfare Practice selected Evelyn Wenzel’s seminar to videotape at the Seminole County Child Protection Conference, October 28, 2008. The video on “The Missing Piece in Sexual Abuse Treatment: The Key to Reducing the Risk of Revictimization” will appear on their website at www.centerforchildwelfare.org. The goal of the center is to distribute accurate and relevant information to achieve practice excellence. The Center’s website makes resources constantly available to professionals who are interested in child welfare.“The Missing Piece in Sexual Abuse Treatment” focuses on those aspects of treatment that are often not routinely addressed. There are four areas that Evelyn believes are essential to cover to reduce the rate of revictimization. Those areas include boundaries, characteristics of the offender, safety issues, and education. Abuse, regardless of the form it takes, deters and alters the normal growth and development of children and for that reason it behooves us as mental health practitioners to hone our skills.
Tags: Child Welfare Practice, childhood sexual abuse, Seminole County Child Protection Conference, sexual abuse, sexual abuse treatment
Mirroring the movie, organized crime dominates the sexual trafficking industry. The sale of women and children on an international level is believed to be hugely profitable, with only narcotic and weapons sales exceeding it. The United States seems to serve more as a destination point, than as an originating country. However, American children and young women who are “recruited” appear to be sent to countries such as Germany and Japan that have a large sex trafficking industry.
The lifestyle imposed upon these sexually exploited victims is horrendous. They have no control over the location or hours they work. Traffickers move these women and children around the globe to maximize the demand for different young women and children to potential buyers. There is a physical and psychological toll upon these victims who may be sexually exploited several times a day. Mental health issues are a problem with these victims and once they are no longer profitable, they are replaced.
Become involved in educating people that sex trafficking is indeed a problem and lobby your community leaders to expose this growing problem.
Reference: Hodge, D. (2008). Sexual Trafficking in the United States: A Domestic Problem with Transnational Dimensions. Social Work, 53, 143-152.
About the Author: Evelyn Wenzel, MSW, LCSW, CAP enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults. She specializes in PTSD, Depression, Addictions, Anxiety, self-injurious behavior, and sexual abuse. She has a diverse background in counseling, which includes working in a hospital setting, drug rehab, school counseling, home health counseling, and private practice. Evelyn has spoken on a variety of topics all over the state. She has spoken at the National Association of Social Workers, Christian school regional conferences, School Social Work National Conference, and school in-services. Some of the topics she has spoken on include: Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents, Sexual Abuse, Mandated Reporting, Depression, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders.
NOTE: you can freely redistribute this resource, electronically or in print, provided you leave the author’s contact information below intact.
Tags: children as sex slaves, sex slaves, sex trafficking, sexual exploitation
Shame, despair, and powerless are a few of the emotions that victims of rape and sexual assault may experience. These same emotions often interfere with their ability to decide to prosecute their perpetrator. There are also many thoughts such as, “We were drinking. He couldn’t help it. Maybe my outfit led him on.” The list of minimizing statements go on and on. Alcohol does indeed contribute to the number of rapes each year, but when a female (or in some cases male) says “no!” to sexual relations, a forced encounter is always rape. The fact is most rapes do not happen in unfamiliar, dark places, but in a friend, relatives, or their own home.
Unfortunately, it is estimated that 17% of adolescent girls are coerced into at least one non-consensual sexual contact. Because of the stigmatization and shame associated with rape, the actual number of young women who are assaulted each year is probably grossly underestimated.
But how is sexual assault different from rape? Often rape, which always includes penetration, is included in discussions about sexual assault. However, assault also includes non-invasive forms of crossing sexual boundaries, such as voyeurism, exhibitionist, and sexual harassment.
About the Author: Evelyn Wenzel, MSW, LCSW, CAP enjoys working with children, adolescents, and adults. She specializes in PTSD, Depression, Addictions, Anxiety, self-injurious behavior, and sexual abuse. She has a diverse background in counseling, which includes working in a hospital setting, drug rehab, school counseling, home health counseling, and private practice. Evelyn has spoken on a variety of topics all over the state. She has spoken at the National Association of Social Workers, Christian school regional conferences, School Social Work National Conference, and school in-services. Some of the topics she has spoken on include: Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents, Sexual Abuse, Mandated Reporting, Depression, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders.
NOTE: you can freely redistribute this resource, electronically or in print, provided you give credit to the author.
Tags: rape, sexual assault