The lingering shadows of the past

Can childhood sexual abuse lead to subsequent sexual assault in adulthood? According to scientific studies, around half of all survivors of childhood sexual abuse will be sexually assaulted again as adults1. This complex phenomenon, known as sexual revictimization, can be provoked by a variety of factors that require better care and support for survivors.

Sexual revictimization refers to one or more episodes of sexual abuse in childhood or adolescence, followed by at least one other experience of sexual assault in adulthood2. It is estimated that approximately one in five girls and one in ten boys experience sexual abuse before the age of 183. 

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse are two to three times more likely to experience further sexual assault in adulthood than those who have not experienced childhood sexual abuse1. Thus, having experienced sexual violence is associated with a greater risk of experiencing it again.

Understanding the phenomenon

But why? The ecological model4 helps us understand why survivors of childhood sexual abuse are at greater risk of reliving sexual assault in adulthood. According to this model, there are four types of influences that increase survivors' risk of sexual revictimization:

1. The sexual impact of a first victimization: The experience of sexual abuse as a child can leave deep scars and alter a person's perception of sexuality. For example, survivors may associate sexuality with affection, leading to a certain tolerance of non-consensual sexual activity to please the other person and feel loved5. Another possibility is an uninhibited view of sexuality, i.e. a normalization of sexual behaviors that can be risky for oneself, such as sexual activities in the context of substance use, during which it is more difficult to recognize danger or set limits6. While this heightened vulnerability is in no way the responsibility of survivors, both elements can hinder the development of a healthy and fulfilling sexuality, while positioning survivors as targets for abusers. 

2. Psychological impacts of a first victimization: Certain psychological factors can increase survivors' vulnerability to revictimization. For example, survivors may suffer from dissociation, which refers to an altered state of consciousness causing a disconnection between body and mind. Dissociation can make you feel outside your body, may cause significant memory loss, or may make you feel like what you're experiencing is unreal or like a dream3,7. This unconscious mechanism can make it more difficult to recognize and escape danger, increasing the risk of ending up in a dangerous situation. 

3. The support network: The people close to the survivor play an important role in their recovery from sexual abuse, which in turn affects the risk of revictimization. Reactions to a disclosure of sexual abuse can influence a person's trust in others8. Negative reactions (e.g., not being believed) can undermine the survivor's trust in others, increase social isolation and hinder disclosure of potential future victimization. In addition, survivors of sexual abuse, particularly those who are isolated, may be more likely to be targeted by malicious or abusive people. The latter can manipulate survivors into believing that they are responsible for their own victimization and that they have no self-worth. These beliefs tend to be adopted by a large proportion of survivors who often have lower self-esteem9.

4. Cultural context: In our society, there's a tendency to blame victims for the actions of their abusers3. This is known as rape culture. For example, we may hear statements such as "the victim encouraged the abuser to act inappropriately by seducing them beforehand, or because of the clothes they were wearing". Survivors can internalize these messages and blame themselves for their own victimization. Believing that we are responsible for the violence we have suffered hinders one’s trauma healing, self-esteem, disclosure of sexual victimization and help-seeking, leaving survivors more vulnerable to revictimization. 

In short, the consequences of childhood sexual abuse act as vulnerability factors for revictimization and hinder survivors' recovery.

How to prevent sexual revictimization

Although this information seems devastating, there is hope for survivors. There are several things one can do to help protect oneself from sexual revictimization. These elements are known as protective factors, since they reduce the consequences of traumatic experiences such as childhood sexual abuse, and increase the resilience of individuals10,11. Here are a few examples:

• Maintain a healthy social support network. This can be achieved by building and maintaining relationships with people who value and help the survivor to re-establish a sense of security and break down isolation10,11.

• Find meaning in life, such as seeing a future beyond the violence experienced, cultivating optimism and gratitude towards the positive elements in one’s life10,11.

• Find healthy strategies to regulate emotions and turn towards a concrete goal that can restore hope in the future and foster motivation to continue take care of oneself and undertake new projects10,11.

• Acquire new skills to boost one’s self-esteem.

• Develop sexual assertiveness, i.e. the ability to say "no", to recognize and assert one's own needs, desires and limits, in the context of sexuality.

In conclusion, having been sexually abused as a child does not necessarily mean that one will experience this trauma again in adulthood, but it can be useful to identify one's own risk and protective factors in order to increase the prevention of future experiences of sexual violence. For example, it is advisable to make sexual abuse survivors more aware of their own strengths and abilities. In other words, to help survivors after a traumatic experience such as sexual abuse, we need to strengthen their ability to bounce back in the face of adversity and the difficulties of everyday life, so that they can regain power over their lives and reduce their sense of helplessness in the face of their experience. The aim is to help them develop resilience as well as an ability to act and control their own lives, without making survivors responsible for their own experiences. 

Resilience and the capacity to exert power over one’s actions, which are fostered by reducing risk factors, i.e., such as dissociation, and emphasizing protective factors, i.e., such as a supportive network, can help survivors manage their emotions, boost their self-esteem and gain a sense of control over their lives. Finally, victims are not responsible for their victimization. The only people who are responsible are the abusers. With the right resources, it's possible to break out of this cycle of violence and regain control of one's life, despite traumatic experiences. 

If you need help:

• Sexual Violence Helpline : 1-888-933-9007 hhttps://sexualviolencehelpline.ca
• Montreal Sexual Assault Centre (MSAC): 514-934-4504 https://cvasm.org/en
• Quebec Coalition of Sexual Assault Help Centers (RQCALACS) : 1-888-933-9007 www.rqcalacs.qc.ca/en/      
• SOS violence conjugale (also available in English):  1-800-363-9010 https://www.sosviolenceconjugale.ca/en

This article was written as part of the Adult Victims of Childhood Abuse course taught by Natacha Godbout, director of TRACE, at UQAM in the Fall of 2023.  The publication of this article was made possible thanks to our partner, the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), and the Fonds de recherche du Québec. 

To cite this article: Girard, M. & Chrétien, A. (2024, August 26). The lingering shadows of the past. TRACE Blog. https://natachagodbout.com/en/blog/lingering-shadows-past

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