Feelings

Children who have been sexually abused feel many different
(and often overwhelming) emotions, including:

• Fear
  • of the abuser
  • of causing trouble
  • of losing adults important to them
  • of being taken away from home
  • of being "different"
• Anger
  • at the abuser
  • at other adults around them who did not protect them
  • at themselves (feeling as if they caused trouble)
• Isolation
  • because "something is wrong with me"
  • because they feel alone in their experience
  • because they have trouble talking about the abuse
• Sadness
  • about having something taken from them
  • about losing a part of themselves
  • about growing up too fast
  • about being betrayed by someone they trusted
• Guilt
  • for not being able to stop the abuse
  • for believing they "consented" to the abuse
  • for "telling"--if they told
  • for keeping the secret--if they did not tell
• Shame
  • about being involved in the experience
  • about their bodies' response to the abuse
• Confusion
  • because they may still love the abuser
  • because their feelings change all the time

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