This series of online webinars led by Christiane Sanderson, a globally recognised expert with three decades of experience of working with CSA, aims to enhance awareness of the nature and dynamics of CSA – enabling professionals to work more effectively with CSA survivors. These webinars would be especially useful for Psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers, child protection workers and psychologists.

In this video course we explore the following two topics:

The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Males

Multiple research studies across the world have concluded that sexual abuse of men is common, underreported, underrecognized and undertreated. After the recent expose’ of sexual abuse in sports, boarding schools and some faith communities, childhood sexual abuse (CSA) of males has received increased awareness and clinical research interest – highlighting the markedly different impact of CSA on men. Data has shown that male survivors of CSA are ten times more likely to suffer from PTSD, five times more likely to have substance misuse disorder – and 46% of males with a history of CSA have attempted suicide. The key challenge for psychotherapists and counsellors is that the manifestations in our therapy rooms may not be admittedly linked to CSA – men find it harder to disclose their abuse due to shame and societal expectations of orthodox masculinity. Male survivors of CSA commonly do not define their childhood experiences as abusive and often minimise its negative impact. This is exacerbated by a shame of disclosure – which is often seen as worse than remaining silent.

Our challenges in clinical settings are enhanced by the fact that males may be affected by CSA in ways that are gender-specific, for example:

• Confusion about their own sexual orientation
• Fear that the sexual abuse has caused or will cause them to change their sexual orientation
• Development of an irrational fear or intolerance of sexual orientations that are different to their own

This webinar looks at the social construction of CSA of males and its range of clinical implications. It emphasises how we can respond to the specific needs of male survivors of CSA within a trauma-informed framework – which includes:

• The barriers to disclosure and help-seeking in male survivors
• The lasting impact of CSA on sexuality and the recurring need to ‘prove’ their masculinity
• The clinical implications of working with male survivors and their sense of lost power, control and confidence in manhood

The Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Parenting

The long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse on adult survivors are wide ranging. A little discussed area is how it impacts on survivors when they are pregnant and become parents themselves. While many survivors welcome becoming parents, some survivors fear that they are physically damaged internally as a result of the abuse and thus may not be able to conceive or carry a child to term. Others fear that the gender of the child will be the same as the abuser and experience pregnancy as being invaded and view the baby as an incubus. Once the baby is born, many survivors are afraid of changing the baby either because they are triggered when looking at the baby’s genitals, or they fear that touching that area could be perceived by others, or themselves as sexually abusing the child. This can lead to intrusive thoughts and ruminations that they may harm the child sexually, which can lead to anxiety about touching or hugging their child in case that is misconstrued as being sexualised.

The responsibility of being a parent can weigh heavily and they may fear that they are not able to protect their child from CSA, and thus restrict the child’s contact with others which in turn makes the child feel anxious and fearful. Some survivors may become envious of their child’s spontaneity, or if they were abused by a male, respond negatively if their male child displays any signs of male gendered behaviour. In the case of a female child they may disapprove of any female gendered behaviour to ensure that they are safe from being abused.

This webinar will explore the legacy of CSA on parents who are survivors so that practitioners and clinicians have a deeper understanding of how this can impact parenting and ensure that they can offer appropriate support without judgement.

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