What you can do for him now is to continue to provide your unconditional loving support.
He may also find the following resources beneficial as an additional or interim form of support: If he chooses to seek this support, a specialist who is trained to work with Adult Survivors would have the best training to work with your son. It’s very possible that you do not, but if you do, I would strongly encourage him to seek treatment for At-Risk Adults.Īs this is your son’s journey, he may choose to seek the help of a Professional, as this enables many to work through the traumas of their past in a safe and understanding environment. Please review these Signs An Adult Is At-Risk To Harm A Child, and see if you recognize any of these in your older son. It is always a good idea, however, to be aware of warning signs. All three of you may find it beneficial to seek counseling as a family unit, to work towards understanding and moving past these difficult events that occurred so long ago. For more information on this topic, check out our guidebook: Do Children Sexually Abuse Other Children? It may be difficult to understand why this happened, and your older son may not fully understand it himself. Many people wonder if children sexually abuse. Yes, and when children sexually harm other children it is often for very different reasons than adults. It sounds like at around 12 years old your older son stopped these abusive behaviors, and perhaps never did them again. Understanding Children's Sexual Behaviors Although your son is not a child, this article highlights the complexities of what keeps a child from disclosing. There are so many reasons your son may not have said anything at the time: shame, fear, or guilt perhaps reading about How Can I Better Understand What My Child is Going Through? may be helpful to you right now. Sexual abuse thrives on secrecy and manipulation, and often it is even more difficult to come forward if the abuser is a loved one.ĭespite how vigilant you were as a parent, there sometimes is just no way you could have known. Unfortunately, some parents don’t find out about their child’s abuse until years later – many once they have grown into adults, like your own son.
There are many Possible Reactions Of Non-offending Parents And Caring Adults – you may recognize some of these in yourself, which is what many experience after disclosure of abuse from their child. As a parent it may bring up a variety of feelings and questions. It would be difficult to ever hear such news from your son, but for some it feels more frustrating or confusing to hear their child was abused after years have passed, or that the abuse was from a loved one – your child. I’m glad you’ve reached out to us looking for help on how you can help your family heal. I’m so sorry to hear that your family has been affected by sexual abuse.