| "I just hate myself. I keep thinking there's something | | | | by an adult at some time during their childhood. Most |
| I should have done, should of said to stop it. I just | | | | sexual abusers are someone in the family or |
| feel so dirty." - Lisa. "Childhood sexual abuse | | | | someone the child knows. Child abuse is far more |
| is…an overwhelming, damaging, and humiliating | | | | likely to occur in the child's home than in a day care |
| assault on a child's mind, soul, and body…The | | | | center. |
| abuse invades every facet of one's existence," says | | | | Often the severe emotional damage to abused |
| the Right to Innocence, by Beverly Engel. | | | | children does not surface until adolescence or later, |
| During the early years when a child develops personal | | | | when many abused children become abusing parents. |
| worth and learns to love and trust, "this process of | | | | An adult who was abused as a child often has |
| trust building gets derailed," says Dr.J.P. Gannon. The | | | | trouble establishing intimate personal relationships. |
| abuser robs the child of any safety, privacy and | | | | These men and women may have trouble with |
| self-respect. This may lead to depression, low | | | | physical closeness, touching, intimacy, and trust as |
| self-esteem, guilt, and rage. Many will turn their | | | | adults. They are also at higher risk for anxiety, |
| destructive feelings on their friendships, marriages, | | | | depression, substance abuse, medical illness, and |
| and on their own self. | | | | problems at school or work. Without proper |
| Statistics are alarming! In one area 84% of prison | | | | treatment, physically abused children can be damaged |
| inmates were found to be abused as children. One in | | | | for life. |
| three girls and one in five boys are sexually abused | | | | |