Sexual Trauma 1
All About Sexual Trauma
Jessica Fincher
Liberty University
Sexual Trauma 2
Psychological trauma can result from either direct or primary exposure to any traumatic
event, whether natural (e.g. a hurricane, an earthquake) or man-made (e.g. rape, war), or from
indirect or secondary exposure, for instance, while accommodating a traumatized person
(Chaufan, & Isa, 2011). Every single person has a different experience when it comes to dealing
with trauma and how they react to trauma instances. Some people will go into shock while
others will experience their reactions to the trauma immediately after the trauma has happened.
Many people are exposed to loss or possible traumatic events at some point in their lives, and
yet they continue to have positive emotional experiences in their life, as well as show only
minor and short-lived disruptions in their ability to function in society (Bonanno, 2004).
Some people wonder if they are more susceptible to trauma because of specifics in their
life. A person’s previous mental stability, their race, gender, level of education, emotional
disorders (or lack thereof) seem to make no difference when it comes to being susceptible to
trauma. A person’s ability to handle stresses in life and personal coping skills can help in trauma
situations (Wright, 2012, p. 201). A major factor that can cause one to experience trauma is
stress. If a person ends up being a victim of trauma, it is not because of a personal defect. The
reactions that one faces after a traumatic event are normal responses to an abnormal event
(Wright, 2012, p. 202). “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering
produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope
does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy
Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).
In recent years, influential persons have called attention to the high rate of traumatic
occurrences among clients that have mental health services, concluding that a majority of those
Sexual Trauma 3
with psychiatric disabilities are actually trauma survivors (Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, 2014). This has led to a greater understanding of the impact that trauma
can have on people’s ability to respond adequately to treatment, as well as developing advances
for practitioners to become progressively more skilled at providing trauma-enlightened care
(Starnino, V. R., 2016).
There are a huge amount of individuals in the United States who serve in the military.
One important problem among people in the military is that psychotherapists are required to deal
with self-condemnation. Self-condemnation is defined as criticism and condemnation of oneself
(along with accompanying moral emotions from guilt, shame, remorse, regret, self-blame, etc.)
due to perceived (a) moral wrongdoing (including omission of doing one's duty or acting in
accord with one's conscience), (b) failure to live up to one's standards (also considered a moral
failure), or (c) failure to live up to one's expectations (which may not be considered a moral
failure at all) (Worthington, & Langberg, 2012). There are so many different types of trauma that
people in the military service experience, as well as different levels of trauma they encounter.
We consider the likely sources of self-condemnation that veterans or active duty military
personnel might encounter, especially those who have encountered combat. Although there are
familiar experiences that deployed soldiers must deal with, we suggest that these problems will
be particularly severe when people develop complex traumas (Worthington, & Langberg, 2012).
In the military, it is not just war trauma, injury, or participation in combat that advocate a need to
contemplate self-forgiveness in order to deal effectively with self-condemnation. Part of the need
emerges from the military environment itself, which is extremely result-oriented (Worthington,
& Langberg, 2012). Results are what military personnel strive for and hold high in regard
during
Sexual Trauma 4
their job. Those who are serving the United States military are expected to always get the job
done, without letting any type of feelings get in the way of production or presentation.
Sexual abuse is acknowledged as a traumatic event and is described as a situation that
leaves deep marks, considering that it violates rights (Arpini, Siqueira, & Savegnago, 2012).
Although estimates of childhood sexual abuse vary widely, there is evidence that suggests at
least twenty percent of adult women in the United States experienced sexual abuse during
childhood (Aspelmeier, Elliott, & Smith, 2007). Sexual abuse can lead to lifelong trauma.
This kind of trauma will leave a person feeling depressed and hopeless. Some of the
repercussions that are commonly reported after being sexually abused are psychological
difficulties include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, self-esteem
problems, somatic complaints, aggression, and a variety of interpersonal and relationship
difficulties (Aspelmeier, Elliott, & Smith, 2007).
According to Summit (1983), sexual abuse cases are full of secrecy, helplessness,
entrapment and accommodation (Vieth, 2012). When being sexually abused, a child may
dissociate by subconsciously sending his or her mind to another place during the abuse (Vieth,
2012). Many victims who are sexual abuse survivors have silenced their pain from the incident.
There are many individuals that have psychological problems because of unremembered sexual
abuse. The sexual abuse is unremembered because of "repression" or "dissociation." Healing
from sexual abuse trauma requires an awakening of those memories and working through the
affects that are associated with those memories (Priest, & Cordill, 2012). To retrieve those
memories may take a huge amount of therapy.
A person needs to know and realize that the people around them understand what they are
going through during recovery. The process of recovery may only take place successfully if the
Sexual Trauma 5
trauma victim is in an environment that recognize the suffering that the person has endured
(Berman, 2014). The recovering victim needs to feel safe, and like they belong in the setting that
they are in. The success of recovery and therapy depends on if the environment offers
recognition, containment and compassion (Berman, 2014).
Spiritual and religious coping theorists have recognized that many people draw upon
spiritual coping strategies during times of distress (Starnino, 2016). Factors that are associated
with spirituality functioning as a positive coping mechanism include viewing a higher power as a
source of trust, believing in an afterlife, being part of a spiritual community, and having an
essential style of religious belief (Shaw et al., 2005). Individuals who are struggling to cope with
a traumatic event may experience a powerful change in their main priorities in life, an expanded
potential to have an appreciation of life, as well as an increased importance given to spirituality
and religion (Shaw, Joseph, & Linley, 2005). There is evidence that religious and spiritual
beliefs can be experienced as significant to people who are recovering from stressful and
traumatic life events (Shaw, Joseph, & Linley, 2005). There is no relationship found, however,
between religious coping and past or current trauma, except for repeated childhood sexual abuse,
which is related to negative religious coping (Starnino, 2016).
Choosing to work with trauma survivors involves intellectually advanced experiences of
a connection between pain, joy, and hope, as well as expanding the boundaries of one self—
personally and professionally (Hernandez-Wolfe, Killian, Engstrom, & Gangsei, 2015; 2014).
This profession requires a huge amount of patience and understanding, as well as personal
strength. Some victims will have an easier time than others when it comes to opening up about
their trauma. People may more readily talk about their vulnerabilities following a trauma, but
also may see themselves as altogether stronger (Shaw, Joseph, & Linley, 2005). Working with
Sexual Trauma 6
trauma victims is a source of both stress and joy, involving a developing perspective of how
one advances personal challenges and one’s aspect about larger issues in the social environment
(Hernandez-Wolfe, Killian, Engstrom, & Gangsei, 2015; 2014).
Sexual Trauma 7
References
Arpini, D. M., Siqueira, A. C., & Savegnago, S. D. O. (2012). Psychic trauma and sexual abuse:
The opinion of girls in situation of vulnerability. Psicologia: Teoria e Pratica, 14(2), 88-
101.
Aspelmeier, J. E., Elliott, A. N., & Smith, C. H. (2007). Childhood sexual abuse, attachment,
and trauma symptoms in college females: The moderating role of attachment. Child
Abuse & Neglect, 31(5), 549-566. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2006.12.002
Berman, Avi. (2014). Post-Traumatic Victimhood and Group Analytic Therapy: Intersubjectivity,
Empathic Witnessing and Otherness. Group Analysis, 47(3), 243-254.
Bonanno, G. A. (2004). Loss, trauma, and human resilience: Have we underestimated the
human capacity to thrive after extremely aversive events? American Psychologist, 59(1),
20-28. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.59.1.20
Chaufan, C., & Isa, K. (2011). Heal thyself: Dealing with trauma work - Gaza 2008/2009.
Health, 15(1), 22-37.
Hernandez-Wolfe, P., Killian, K., Engstrom, D., & Gangsei, D. (2015; 2014 ;). Vicarious
resilience, vicarious trauma, and awareness of equity in trauma work. Journal of
Humanistic Psychology, 55(2), 153-172. doi:10.1177/0022167814534322
Priest, R. J., & Cordill, E. E. (2012). Christian communities and "recovered memories" of abuse.
Christian Scholar's Review, 41(4), 381-400. Retrieved
from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?
Sexual Trauma 8
url= http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/1030142652?
accountid=12085
Shaw, A., Joseph, S., & Linley, A. P. (2005). Religion, spirituality and posttraumatic growth: A
systematic review. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 8, 1–11.
Starnino, V. R. (2016). When trauma, spirituality, and mental illness intersect: A qualitative case
study. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, 8(3), 375-383.
doi:10.1037/tra0000105
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). TIP 57: Trauma-
informed care in behavioral health service. Washington, DC: Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration National Center for Trauma Informed Care.
Summit, R. (1983). The child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome. Child Abuse and
Neglect, 7, 177-193.
Vieth, V. I. (2012). What would Walther do? Applying law and gospel to victims and perpetrators
of child sexual abuse. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 40(4), 257+. Retrieved from
http://p2048-ezproxy.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?
url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/ps/i.do?
p=AONE&sw=w&u=vic_liberty&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE
%7CA314565107&sid=summon&asid=4990dd0899689330fc58b4739246afe5
Worthington, E. L., Jr., & Langberg, D. (2012). Religious considerations and self-forgiveness in
treating complex trauma and moral injury in present and former soldiers. Journal of
Psychology and Theology, 40(4), 274+. Retrieved from http://p2048-
ezproxy.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?
Sexual Trauma 9
url= http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/ps/i.do?
p=AONE&sw=w&u=vic_liberty&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE
%7CA314565108&sid=summon&asid=de1cc709b2d272793d9d0a6dea5f920d
Wright, H. N. (2012). The complete guide to crisis & trauma counseling: What to do and say
when it matters most! (Revised ed.) Bloomington, MN: Bethany House
