Sexual harassment is no joke and many do not realize that this is happening to so many kids out there that are scared to tell their story.

Being sexually abused as a child takes away their childhood life and teenage years that everyone should have. It breaks them and makes them feel like they can’t do the same things as others because something may trigger them to have a flashback.

Sometimes these sexual harassments happen in the family with someone who is close to the child... That way they can say they love them or keep it between us and the child because it’s family and they’re scared.

Being sexual harassed causes painful flashbacks and memories in their mind. It can cause them to live in fear their entire life being scared that someone else will abuse them or that the person will come back to abuse them. It’s a life of living in constant fear that no one should ever have to live in. Then, when the child does tell (if they do), then it’s like they have to relive it all over again telling cops and therapists over and over again because that’s the way it’s supposed to “help.” But really, it’s just causing more pain.

It can affect their school work. Some children zone out and can’t focus long enough to pay attention in class. Or even in health class, if they’re talking about sexual abuse, it’s hard for the hold to stay in the classroom without feeling like they’re falling apart all over again.

Victims of sexual abuse often blame themselves afterward. And even if they didn’t tell until years after, they blame themselves for not telling soon enough. They feel like maybe if they told it wouldn’t have happened to someone else or they worry that there might be a next girl that goes through what they did.

It often scares them to have children of their own because they feel like they wouldn’t be able to protect their own children because they couldn’t protect themselves.

I’m writing this for all the victims and survivors of sexual abuse. There is help out there and it does get better one day at a time. If you know anyone or if you’re going through this, call someone you trust and tell them. Sexual harassment needs to end.