Are there any outward traits in an adult that may have shown they've been sexually abused as a child?

Question

Do they act a certain way? Do they have behavioural ways that are different? If you are a professional, can you see if an adult has been sexually abused as a child and if so, what do these people show? What are their ways?

Answer 1

I've been told that sometimes females who have been abused as girls will sometimes have, in their adult lives, a child-like voice. The thinking is that the voice's development stopped at the time of the emotional trauma.

Answer 2

This is a difficult question to answer with a direct flat answer you are going to find many answers and they will be right for one person and wrong for another person. Think of all the traits people have IE Depression then think of the opposite IE upbeat/happy. Someone who has suffered sexually abuse as a child will display one or both of these traits in certain circumstances.
To think that they stand out way in front of everyone else wearing a badge "I was sexual abused as a Child" is wrong. Many of them have learnt to hide what has happened because they have lived in fear as a child most likely been threatened with death if they tell.
Unless you know the person personally you will then be able to detect signs if you are looking for them or you care so much you notice the pain and hurt.
It also depends on the character/personality of the person they may have been able to over come what has happened and move on. They may have completely blocked it out of their head and will remember with a trigger if something happens that takes them back to the time and place.
They may be very angry people and not able to form any type of relationship with the opposite sex or the opposite promiscuous.
The list is endless and very diffrent for any one person.
professional people will spot character traits in people however unless they are clients or have been asked by the person for help they may not nessasary know. It would also take a professional time/patients/understanding ect to get to the bottom of why people behave in this way and it is not all to do with sexual abuse.

Answer 3

People whom have been abused are often timid with the opposite sex, folding their arms (keeping a barrier) between them and the other person. They are not comfortable in situations where they are left on their own with the opposite sex. They often have problems with sexual intercourse. They may experience pain inside from having sex, due to them sub consciously freezing. Anyone who has had to go through abuse as a child or even an adult, has gone through a terrible time. If they have never told anyone, they are dealing with it themselves, inside, many situations will bring up the abuse in their heads, sub consciously sometimes, If they every become parents they may often be over protective towards their children. They will not like watching programmes on abuse either, makes them uncomfortable.

Sometimes you will get a person, who is made stronger by the abuse, and will show no outwardly signs. But inside they will still be torn apart from what happened.

Answer 4

Yes there are signs to look for as a child and the effect it has keeps them wary at all times throughout their lives.
It doesn't necessary make them loners they might even become extroverts but more often than not they are wary when making friends. If you are male it will also show in their aggression limits and where if being forced to fight they are a little more than decisive.
As a child the signs might be quietness and not wanting to trust anybody. Most will not tell anybody either since there is no one for them to trust. They might have accepted a degree of bulling then suddenly they will become a bully to the bullies.
They will forget about it during late teens and perhaps never remember it until old age when it will return as if it were yesterday.

Mothers and fathers should love their children and not just use them to work for them, or these days feed them.

Answer 5

Sorry (Asker) but I have to comment on what several people have said about abuse'es go on to be abusers...
Firstly before posting your " thoughts and opinions" think about it.. For someone people this kinda of thing is very distressing even to read/think about, secondly a person who has been abused is often more than likely to become a ''protector'' they will be over-protective of their children and anyone else they care about who seems vulnerable,

I don't think there are any traits as everyone reacts and deals with things differently, Maybe if the victim is faced with the abuser or if they are taken to the ''scenes'' of the area, then yes you may see ''signs'' but more often than not someone who's been abused wont show signs of it because of how it makes you feel as a person,(to deep and hard to explain on here)

I was abused as a child by mothers brother, since my grandparents died he lived on his own and i didn't see him for 10 years, then he and my mother made contact again and he now lives with her! apart from the obvious shaking, fidgeting, no one can tell us-less you tell them,

Hope this helps..


momof3..Great answer hun!

Answer 6

Low self esteem, poor self image, lack of trust in anyone, fear of relationships, needy, not able to separate sex from affection (because the abuser was probably someone close and the victim believes that to show love is to have sex).
These things will be present in a person who has ben abused until they can work out for themselves, maybe with some help, that the abuser was wrong and bad,not them.

Answer 7

The following are clues

Depression
Eating disorder
An obsession with appearance

Years ago, it was the practice to ask the victim if they thought that they had been or could have been abused. This is no longer allowed as often the person will latch on to this concept and believe it to be the case and the "answer" to their current problems.

This obviously lead to severe problems in the family.

Answer 8

It varies from person to person. Most abusive adults were abused as children, but alot of abused children grow up and lead normal lives without ever abusing their children. What I have noticed is that even the ones that grow up without becoming abusive themselves, have a very low trust factor of other people and their motives. Most suffer from self esteem problems also.

Answer 9

Everyone reacts differently after being abused as a child, You could look for extreem shyness, Intrevertness, they could be uncomfortable talking about anything that is to do with sexual subjects or themselves / their body. They may find it difficult to deal with certain issues in a relationship. It is very varied.

I would not say that everyone who has been abused would abuse others.

You will not be able to make them come out with it, they really need to be ready within themselves to come out and talk about it as it will be VERY difficult for them to do so.

I hope this helps you.

Answer 10

hi if u would like to email me i can talk to u as i was abused from age of 2 to 14 then raped also my daughter was abused at a young age its the worst thing to go through and deal with i wont go into to much on here as someone answered your question saying when your abused as a child u turn into an abuser that is bollocks im sorry but im angry at that answer ive been abused and raped but the thought of people thinking u will abuse as it happened to u really annoys me so please feel free to email me ill help as much as i can and answer your questions ive been through and my little girl has so i know what im talking about not like that person i mentioned he is sick to think that unless u been through it you dont know