Reflection Paper About Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse cases have always been interesting for me. Although I have not experienced it first hand, stories of sexual abuse victims, especially children have always been heart-wrenching and I would not wish it upon anyone — ever. However, these cases of sexual abuse are sometimes seen as merely just another rape case in court, or another respondent in a research study. People often forget that these victims are people, and probably the best thing that I could do right now is to give them voice while I learn psychotherapy techniques to relieve them of their suffering. Since taking classes from Professor Andrea Martinez on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, I have been more inspired to pursue studies on sexual abuse victims. This

First, is that the deleterious effects of sexual offending against children must always be kept in mind, because early childhood experiences could always be a predecessor for their problematic behaviours come adolescence that may persist throughout their lifetime. Second, there must be a study similar to this that should be conducted in the Philippines. This could be very beneficial for policy-making, as victims of sexual abuse especially children continue to rise in the country. Third, an intervention program could be created that would cater specifically to sexual offenders, and to make it more effective, I think it should be individualized. It brings me great sadness that children suffer from sexual abuse in their community, especially in their own homes. However, it makes me glad that this topic is continuously being studied to prevent its proliferation. I think that this research calls for a greater analysis of the mental health situation in the Philippines. Despite being known as a pre-dominantly Catholic country, these crimes still exist. However, not much is known regarding how these would deeply affect the victim’s mental health, and what could be done for treatment. It must not be seen as merely a crime, but also a cry for help for both the victim and the perpetrator. A person must always keep in mind that apathy would not go a long way, and that we should be campaigning for giving voice to these victims, and aid them in their situation. We must always realize that these abuses may happen to anyone, including our friends and family