Does Adolescent Sexual Abuse
Have Lasting Effects?

You may wonder why anyone would ask if adolescent sexual abuse leaves problems in its wake. And without having to think about it very much…you may have reached a conclusion that it certainly does.

And you would be right.

You might even know someone…maybe even yourself…who was sexually abused as a teenager. And as you read further down the page about adolescent sexual abuse…you may rediscover that…like sexuality itself…people’s reactions to sex abuse take many different forms.

Everyone knows that many sexually abused people suffered ongoing emotional abuse.

What is not so commonly known is that many people who were sexually abused were not emotionally traumatized...and even enjoyed their experience. As you will see in Father Mike’s case.

As you read Father Mike’s story you will deepen your understanding that being emotionally traumatized is not always what is abusive about adolescent sexual abuse…that there may be something more fundamentally abusive.

Father Mike was ordained 15 years when the first accusations of adolescent sexual abuse were made against him. Until then...Father Mike was a well-loved priest with a passion for social justice. He worked tirelessly for the rights of the poor and the marginalized people of developing countries. Naturally...the people who loved and revered Father Mike were devastated...and felt betrayed...when his sexual history became known. During his mandatory evaluation...Father Mike explained his actions this way... He had an ongoing sexual affair when he was a teenager with his pastor. Father Mike said that he felt very good about the experience at the time...and still does. He did not find it traumatic...he loved the priest with whom he was involved...and bears neither him nor the church any ill will. The unfortunate thing was that Father Mike decided to have...as he said..."a ministry to the sexual awakening of teenagers". He felt that his sexual experiences with his own pastor were very good for him...and "he wanted to pass the benefits he got from it on to adolescents in his ministry".

Father Mike’s experiences of sex abuse may have been pleasurable…but were they good for him?

Sex between a minor and and adult is not necessarily traumatic...as long as it is not rape or done under fear...duress...or threat.

Sexuality is at its peak in human adolescence...and sex under pleasant circumstances may be pleasurable even with an adult.

But most people who developed normally would agree that…the sexual awakening of youths is usually a matter for the adolescent peer group to deal with...not the local vicar.

Though Father Mike was not emotionally traumatized by his teenage sexual experiences with his pastor…he really was abused.

You can see easily that his pleasurable early sexual experiences with his pastor led to seriously impaired judgments in adulthood

...judgments that cost him his ministry...his good name...and the chance to contribute whatever good was in him through ministry.

While the feelings of many are traumatized by adolescent sexual abuse...it was Father Mike's judgment that was traumatized.

Victim's who have emotional trauma from adolescent sexual abuse...often have difficulties in their self-image (how they feel about themselves)...and they often have difficulties in their future relationships (how they feel about others).

But by now you can understand that it is not just emotional trauma that is abusive...especially from Father Mike's story where he was emotionally enthusiastic about his abuse by his pastor...and about his abuse of youths in his own ministry.

You may deepen your understanding about what the real abuse is by going from this adolescent sexual abuse page to read about the effects of child sexual abuse .

And you can sign up for our newsletter The Boundary Hunter and get your FREE copy of the eBook The Ministry Audit by clicking on the cover of the book when you

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