Is Healing from Sexual Abuse Possible?

Yes, healing from child sexual abuse is possible. The lives of children who have been sexually abused will be forever changed, but I am one of many examples of children healing from the child abuse and living out caring and productive lives. Some children may be ready to talk about the abuse and deal with it soon after it happened. Others may need to move more slowly, gradually testing the safety of addressing the issues that arise. Children do best with a combination of love from caregivers and support from a counselor with special training to work with children who have experienced sexual trauma.

Help That You Need	Phone Numbers
Emergency intervention	911
Agencies to call to report suspected child abuse. Organized by state within the U.S.	Child Abuse Reporting Numbers
Telephone hotlines, particularly for sexual child abuse, for missing or abducted children, for rape and incest, and for runaway and homeless children and their families	Toll-Free Crisis Hotline Numbers
Helpline for teens who are having problems at home	Youth and Teens or 1-800-RUNAWAY
Identification of paroled sex offenders	National Sex Offender Public Registry and Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Investigative Programs: Crimes Against Children (individual state databases)

Remember, too, that if your own child tells you that he or she has been abused, no matter how horrifying or incredible it may sound, you must listen to your child and be a source of comfort — and action!