Debra_Law wrote:I think it's despicable that you're advising a child that she was probably sexually abused by her father (or someone else).
Sexual abuse is outrageous and intolerable. However, false allegations of sexual abuse are even MORE outrageous and intolerable. Those are the types of unsubstantiated allegations that can ruin people's lives. And now this kid is thinking it's possible: that maybe she has repressed memories and doesn't know what to think. If she needs therapy now, it's probably because you're the one who is planting allegations without a shred of evidence.
I see a child who is too eager to grow up, dating too young, and sneaking around with a 24-year-old adult male. She should be concentrating on her education. She should be developing her skills and knowledge. She should be working on becoming a well-rounded individual. Instead, she involves herself in adult relationships when she doesn't have the adult mentality necessary to balance a relationship with the rest of her life.
I think it's more despicable to NOT believe her, if she has been sexually abused, than it is to "falsely accuse" a particular adult.
Here are some of my reasons: I was NOT believed for many years, even as an adult, so I know how damaging it is. An adult can deal with allegations; a child doesn't have the equipment to deal with people telling her reality is not Real. Thus I believe if we err, we should err on the child's side, the defenseless side. Adults are more able to care for themselves.
I was NOT believed even in my 30's, because "false memory syndrome" became a popular fall-back (an excuse) for people who REALLY HAD abused children and were looking for an "out." How do you think that felt?
My parents accused me of being "sick" and "messed up" to save themselves. These are the very things I was told by my own mother when I was a child: "Only YOU are to blame... You just WANT to believe this... What made you dream this up?... How could you be so EVIL?... Who told you to say these things?... He's MY husband, not yours."
There are real repressed memories of child sexual abuse, Debra. There is sexual abuse of children going on all around us, all the time.
Repression, though scorned by pop psychology, is a REAL mechanism for dealing with whatever you cannot deal with right now... and children cannot deal with sexual abuse. They are a great deal more likely to employ this technique than adults are, because adults have other "outs."
You don't realize how damaging these memories can be AFTER they are repressed... and to tell her she "made it up," or this sexually activity is all her fault, is re-victimizing her, should she have been abused.
If she was sexually abused, it would explain why she's feeling sexual so young. If she was not, we have no explanation for her behavior.
She also mentioned her father was an alcoholic and hit her before he stopped drinking. Given these facts, yes, it is possible she was sexually abused. I never said she WAS.
It's not very likely a single post on a forum (my post) will cause her to go into therapy or falsely accuse someone. I have more faith in her abilities to discern the facts of the situation than that.
But, well, you're entitled to your opinions, as is Sozobe. But really, ladies, who do you think needs help more... children, or grown-ups?