Sexual Abuse in Childhood: Emerging Syndromes in Adulthood

*Angélica Quiroga-Garza and María José Almela-Ojeda*

#### **Abstract**

The high prevalence in Mexico of both child sexual abuse and emerging psychopathological syndromes in adulthood, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, self-injurious behavior, and suicide, makes it necessary to investigate in greater depth the relationship between these circumstances. The findings on the incidence in Mexico and the interaction of these variables would make it possible to propose public policies with scientific support for the protection of children and to design intervention programs for adult victims of child abuse at risk due to psychopathological symptoms. To understand the interaction of child abuse events and adult emerging syndromes in the Mexican population, we conducted quantitative, correlational-comparative research. The findings have implications for clinical and social practice. It is necessary to continue working with families, carrying out preventive measures for all forms of domestic violence (physical, sexual, economic, negligence) that cause intentional harm to the children who suffer it, and its consequences remain until adult life.

**Keywords:** child sexual abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-injurious behavior, suicide, psychopathological syndromes

#### **1. Introduction**

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the World Mental Health Survey Initiative whose results suggested that 30% of all mental disorders in adults were related to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) [1]. Exposures to personal abuse and neglect before the age of 18 are known as childhood trauma [2]. Psychological trauma arises when a painful event exceeds the coping skills of the person who experiences it [3]. The traumatic experience can be a single event or frequently repeated events [4, 5], such as in chronic victimization. Anticipation and fear can trigger defense mechanisms such as dissociation, resulting in greater difficulty remembering the trauma [5]. So, if traumatic events occur in children's early life, particularly before the age of five—a critical developmental period—they impact mental health and well-being throughout life [6–10].

In this regard, since 2016, Mexico has been ranked first worldwide in sexual abuse, physical violence, and homicide of children under 14 years of age with 5.4 million cases per year, being only 2% of the cases reported at the time, the rest they are known after years of abuse [11]. Although a direct and reliable source on the real numbers on this problem is considered non-existent since innumerable cases are not reported [12]. This situation has become a public policy problem in Mexico. Hence the importance of further investigating the relationship between emergent psychopathological syndromes in adulthood and traumatic events in childhood, particularly child sexual abuse.

The high prevalence in Mexico of both child sexual abuse and emerging psychopathological syndromes in adulthood, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, self-injurious behavior, and suicide, makes it necessary to investigate in greater depth the relationship between these circumstances. The findings on the incidence in Mexico and the interaction of these variables would make it possible to propose public policies with scientific support for the protection of children and to design intervention programs for adult victims of child abuse at risk due to psychopathological symptoms.
