Understanding these dynamics helps survivors build the confidence and self-care skills necessary for recovery. The post-traumatic effects of sexual abuse distort beliefs in how the world responds to survivors and their perceptions of how they fit into their families, social situations, and work environments. Feeling good about oneself, one's body image, and one's sexuality are often concerns for survivors. It's difficult to feel positive about oneself when the physical pain and emotional confusion inherent in sexual abuse is perpetrated against a child who has not yet developed a strong sense of self. Survivors' experiences teach them that they are not able to control what happens to their own bodies, and that their bodies may be dirty.
Many survivors disassociate from physical feelings as a result of the abuse.
It often seems like an insurmountable task to survivors to perceive themselves as healthy sexual adults later in life or even to cope with feelings of sexuality. Improving confidence, independence, and care of oneself is a necessary step for survivors to improve their self-esteem. Feelings of worthlessness and guilt need to be closely examined at the root and then challenged. Understanding the impact of abuse on the self-worth and how this has delayed growth through appropriate developmental stages is an important task for survivors. Education is essential for survivors to reach genuine understanding.