The consequences of child and adolescent sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder: a study based on the film and book 'afetos secretos’

Abstract

Child and adolescent sexual abuse is identified as one of the types of child maltreatment; any physical or psychological violence with sexual intent will be classified as abuse. This type of abuse can occur both within and outside the family unit, and abusers often use coercion and threat techniques, undermining the victim’s ability to summon the courage to report the incident, which intensifies the victim’s silence and results in psychological consequences, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The present study aims to examine the presence of emotional and behavioral symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in victims of child and adolescent sexual abuse, based on the film and book Afetosecretos, with the purpose of understanding how trauma impacts the victim’s life. A qualitative study was conducted in which scenes from the film were selected and analyzed to understand family relationships, characteristics of the abuser, and the behaviors, thoughts, and emotions of the child experiencing abuse, based on the theoretical frameworks of Behavior Analysis and Cognitive Behavioral Theory. The results obtained revealed that, in most cases, the abuse occurs within the victim’s family circle or social environment. Furthermore, it was observed that children face significant difficulties in confronting such abuse due to their vulnerability and society’s lack of understanding of what is truly happening. In some instances, the victims’ mothers demonstrated negligence toward their children by disbelieving, abandoning, or ignoring the situation. Finally, the present study highlighted the importance of issues related to re-experiencing and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which significantly impact the victim’s life.