FEATURE
Haunted Marriage WHAT TO DO WHEN PAST SEXUAL ABUSE IS HURTING YOUR MARRIAGE
BY BARBARA WILSON
C
hildhood sexual abuse (CSA) is an unimaginable evil perpetrated upon the most innocent and vulnerable, and it shatters a child’s sense of safety, security, and trust. If this has happened to you or your wife, I am so sorry. And though the struggles in your marriage may seem hopeless right now, I have good news. God can heal and restore the past, and redeem what this evil threatens to destroy in your life and marriage. According to the most recent statistics from the US Department of Justice, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will experience some form of sexual abuse before they’re 18 years old. And experts assert that this greatly underestimates the actual numbers, as many victims don’t report their
abuse. This has been my experience as I’ve worked with women (and men) who’ve experienced abuse--that the shame, guilt, and trauma from the memory keeps them in a prison of secrecy and pain. And while we tend to think of sexual abuse in terms of molestation and rape, sexual abuse encompasses a variety of non-contact forms that include exposing children to pornography, sexual activity, and sexual talk, breaching their privacy during dressing and showering at inappropriate ages, and filming or exploiting children for one’s sexual pleasure. Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders, cutting, suicidal ideation and attempts, posttraumatic stress, flashbacks, nightmares, and substance use are just some of the
