Although sexual offenders are not limited to a single race, sex, or sexual preference, most victims are female. Many sources estimate that one in every four girls has been sexually abused. There are many physical effects of sexual abuse on girls. Most girls who have been sexually abused will display one or more of these symptoms. The physical symptoms, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, include anal or vaginal redness, pain or bleeding, unusual discharge from the anus or vagina, sexually transmitted diseases, and repeated urinary tract infections.
Sexual abuse can also lead to changes in behavior.
Some of these behavioral signs, says Linda Cain, are bedwetting, difficulty at bath time, changes in sleeping habits, and nightmares. Many long-term effects of sexual abuse are noticeable among victims of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse victims are uncomfortable with the idea of sex says psychologist Ignacio R. Medina Cisterna. The women cannot send a child places where they cannot take care of the child. Guilt is another long-term effect of sexual abuse.