5 Types of Sexual Abuse
According to the CDC 1 in 4 men and 1 in 3 women report having experienced physical sexual violence. These numbers are likely lower than the actual number of victims out there because sexual abuse is under reported and these numbers only include 1 of the 5 types of sexual abuse, physical sexual violence. Our office helps people overcome the trauma of sexual abuse and many of those we work with have not reported the abuse and are reluctant to do so. Understanding that abuse is real even if no physical contact is made is important for a journey of recovery to begin.
Verbal Sexual Abuse includes the use of spoken or written words to express, evoke, or imply sexual content. Verbal sexual abuse is prevalent and can be experienced in social settings, at work, and at home. Crude humor is often given a pass in our culture even though it does real harm. It can be hard to deal with because, we might feel that there is a violation but, be fearful of facing social or relational consequences for speaking up. Examples of verbal sexual abuse include; sexual jokes, teasing about physical characteristics, graphic sexual descriptions, name calling, comments on physical development, solicitation, unwanted romantic advances, sexting, and stalking with phone calls or other messages, etc.
Covert Sexual Abuse can happen without your knowledge. This includes being observed, followed, photographed, social media stalking, sexual cyber-harassment. This form of abuse is characterized by attempts by the perpetrator to get some form of sexual satisfaction from the victim without their knowledge.
Our culture is inundated with sexually charged or sexually explicit images. Being exposed to unwanted sexual content visually is sexual abuse. Some examples of Visual Sexual Abuse can include; unwanted or uninvited exposure to sexually explicit images, sexting/airdropping, exhibitionism/flashing, nudity or improper dress at home, and performing sexual acts while non-consenting individual are present.
Examples of Physical Sexual Abuse include non-consensual: touching, fondling, physical restraint, cornering, tickling, kissing, excessive cleaning of genitals, enemas, intercourse, sodomy, oral sex, licking, brushing up against, urinating on, invasion of privacy, stalking. The potential for sexual abuse is very much influenced by power differentials, so someone saying “Okay, fine.” or not saying, “No” does not mean sexual contact was consensual. This is because actions can be coerced without explicitly voicing a threat or possible consequence.
Ritualistic Sexual Abuse is sexual abuse blended with some form of spirituality and ritual. In some cases of ritualistic sexual abuse, perpetrators encourage or attempt to justify their actions as an act of penance or worship, to the target of their abuse. This type of abuse also can include child marriage, incest rituals, genital mutilation, and chants or incantations during abuse.
FAQ’s
Q: Does sexual abuse have to involve physical contact?
A: No, sexual abuse can happen without being touched or even being in the same space as the abuser. Sexual abuses can include words spoken, sights seen, and acts done covertly, all without physical contact.
Q: What is a Trauma?
A: Trauma can be defined as an emotional response to an experience that is distressing or disturbing. With sexual trauma this often includes experiencing a “No choice, no voice” event. Experiencing something where there is a loss of control, coercion or pressure, a perceived helplessness.
Q: Can I heal from this?
A: Yes! If you have experienced something like this, you do not have to be stuck with trauma for the rest of your life. With advanced techniques like Accelerated Resolution Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing that help to heal the impact of those events, recovery is within reach. These new techniques limit your exposure to your memory of the past event in session and expedites the healing process. Therapist with these advanced techniques can really help you to process trauma without a high level of distress in recalling the memories. Sometimes, we are able to work with clients without them needing to retell the story until it no longer triggers intense emotions.
Hear more about this topic on our podcast The Reimagined Life: Episode 5: 5 Types of Sexual Abuse You May Not Be Aware Of (ft. Cristina Ally)