Sexual Abuse

God created us to be sexual beings - but only within the boundaries of marriage.  God designed sex as an expression of mutual love between a husband and wife.  Sex within marriage symbolizes and celebrates the covenant, or lifetime commitment made between man and his wife.  Sexual abuse is a blatant attempt by the enemy to pervert God’s character.

Webster’s defines abuse as “a corrupt practice” and “improper or excessive treatment.”  Sexual abuse, therefore, involves people using others for corrupt and improper sexual purposes they were never created to experience.

When we experience emotions that are too overwhelming, or if we do not want to believe the truth about what is going on, a common reaction is to mentally disconnect from the experience.  Here are some things that might occur when a person has been sexually abused:

• -A separation from reality by mentally removing yourself from the situation – many people who have been   abused are able to disassociate themselves to such an extent that, for years, they may not even remember they were abused

• -Children might display sexual knowledge that is beyond what is normal for their age

• -Unexplained pain, irritation, and swelling around the genital areas

• -Depression, sleep disturbances, nightmares, frequent urinary infections, isolation from family and friends, or withdrawal from usual activities

• -Tendency to become either obsessive or apathetic about hygiene

• -Anxiety, passivity or overly “pleasing” behavior, low self-esteem, self-destructive behavior, and promiscuous activity

• -Adults experience the ramification of sexual abuse through anger, rebellion, self-harm, fear, inappropriate sexual behavior, or difficulty in developing close relationships

• -Many people who have been sexually abused fall into obsessive compulsive behavior patterns such as excessive bathing, teeth-brushing, or hand-washing due to feeling perpetually dirty
• Many victims of sexual abuse will turn to food as a source of comfort which often develops into an eating-disorder: anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating

RESOURCE:

Visit the store to purchase your copy