Consequences of Sexual Violence and Abuse On Minors: Gender Specifics

Abstract

The article presents the results of a comprehensive psychological and psychiatric study of 155 juvenile victims of sexual violence and abuse. The article states the most common psychological consequences of experienced sexual violence and abuse in various spheres of mental activity among groups of boys and girls. The quantitative and qualitative characteristics of these consequences have significant differences in the groups of victims, depending on the mental condition and gender. It was found that common symptoms are manifested in the emotional-volitional, semantic and behavioral spheres. The gender specifics of the consequences of sexual violence and abuseamong girls mostly appear in internal forms (feelings of guilt, difficulties in establishing social contacts, negative attitude to male role models, close relationships). While external forms of that consequences prevail among boys (increased excitability, reactions aggression, opposition and negativism, sexualized behavior, hypermasculine compensation) alongside increased mental stress, sense of shame, violation of gender-role identity, complaints of disturbance in the somatic sphere and a decrease of productivity in school.