Symptoms: children may show signs of sexual abuse through fear, anxiety, being withdrawn, isolating themselves, being depressed, having nightmares, and not eating. Children may also exhibit aggressive, abreactive, nurturing, dissociative, perseverant, regressive, or sexualized play behaviors.
Strategies: SEL, self-awareness and mindfulness can be useful coping strategies along with therapy. Abused children need to learn that they are not to blame for what happened and that there are safe spaces out there (i.e., our classroom or counselor's office). We can practice mindful breathing and meditation strategies to focus on the present and connect with ourselves. Counselors can create safe spaces for the abused to talk and mourn what has happened to them and how they can safely cope to heal.