If you are the parent of a child who experienced sexual abuse, it is pivotal to do everything in your power to help your child recover and hold the abuser answerable. You should understand the different ways in which abuse could impact your child and go over short-term as well as long-term issues that they could struggle with. For example, sexual abuse could adversely affect your child’s studies.
Regrettably, research shows that suffering sexual abuse can interfere with a young person’s education in various ways.
The consequences of childhood sexual abuse
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goes over the consequences of abuse and the different ways it can interfere with a child’s education. For example, abuse can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder and debilitating anxiety. In fact, abuse can alter how a child’s brain develops and result in memory problems and difficulty paying attention. Also, abuse can negatively affect a child’s ability to learn.
From a long-term point of view, child victims of sexual abuse could struggle with delays in brain development, have fewer employment options and reduced educational attainment.
The importance of addressing sexual abuse properly
Sometimes, children who become victims of sexual abuse and their parents feel hopeless, but it is essential for victims and their families to stay focused on holding offenders accountable. Standing up against an abuser and filing a claim could provide a sense of justice and prevent additional abuse in the future.
Additionally, successfully holding an abuser answerable could provide financial relief that helps cover costs, such as therapy, and enables you to support your child’s education and other facets of his or her life.