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You and your child: For parents of children who have experienced sexual abuse

Author: Department of Human Services

Tags: Child Sexual Abuse, Family & Friends, Family Violence, Legal Information

This article is written for women and assumes a male offender, however SECASA acknowledges that both men and women can be survivors of sexual abuse and that offenders can be male and female.

This booklet has been written for non-offending parents of children who have been sexually abused.

Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Foreword
• Introduction
• How do we define child sexual abuse?
• Can we explain why sexual abuse happens?
• Some myths about child sexual abuse
• Myths that blame the child
• Myths that blame the mother
• Myths about the abuser
• Some feelings you may be experiencing
• What can I expect from my child in the future?
• Some dos and don'ts for speaking with a child who has been sexually abused
• How do I explain to others what has happened to my child?
• What are some things I can do to look after myself?
• Some consequences of sexual abuse for your family life
• Counselling: Won't talking about it just make it worse?
• Who are the people who sexually abuse children?
• What happens legally?
• Medical examinations
• Family Violence Intervention Orders and Protection applications
• Will the offender go to jail?
• Mothers of sexually abused children speak: Janine's story
• Mothers of sexually abused children speak: Vivien's story
• Conclusion
• References