Can someone answer this?

Question

I was in my health class reading the effects of sexual harrassment
and an eating disorder was one of them.Does anyone know why a person who has been sexually harassed might have a distroted body image and develop an eating disorder?

Answer 1

By over-eating, I can add a boundary around myself, thus preventing people from touching me/getting too close to me.

People have made a bunch of suggestions.

Exactly what's going on probably differs from person to person -- as many have pointed out, eating disorders often arise from mis-guided attempts to gain control over one's life, when that control has been taken from them.

Answer 2

Eating disorders are not about the food, or being skinny. They are about power. It is the one thing you know you have the power to control, so you do. When you are sexually molested, or harassed (unwanted attention in any way), you feel helpless. By taking your body and making it do whatever you want....eat, don't eat, eat, don't eat, throw up, don't...it is a vicious cycle where you lose control but you still think you are in control. Make sense?

Answer 3

Eating disorders are often related to control issues. People can control their eating (some people, anyway). So someone who was abused (sexually or any other way) probably felt a loss of control while that happened and this is their way of regaining control.

Answer 4

Sexual harassment isn't only done to come on to or make sexual advances to a individual, it can also be used to denigrate or humiliate an individual, either way it is wrong.

Answer 5

uh yeah, being sexually harassed can make you feel like ****. And that somehow you are at fault and maybe if you were thinner, fatter or whatever, you would not get harassed. It's a common coping mechanism.

Answer 6

if they were abused they probably feel worthless and inadequate, they may over or under eat to compensate for this.

Answer 7

B/c it makes them feel ugly and low on self esteem.