Survivors have many personality traits that are directly related, psychologically, to
their abuse they have endured. An individual will typically have most or all of these characteristics.
Including difficulty forming and maintaining intimate relationships, a pattern of involvement in unsatisfactory
relationships (sometimes involving continued physical, emotional or sexual abuse), distrust of men or women, isolation, poor
social skills, and parenting problems.
Including sexual dysfunction, avoidance of sexual intimacy, sexually aggressive and compulsive behaviours,
sexual identity confusion and general sexual dissatisfaction.
Disregard for ones body
Some survivors abuse their bodies. Getting fat can be a way to avoid sexual attention. Survivors may
be accident prone as a way of punishing their bodies and may even mutilate themselves. Eating disorders such as bulimia or
anorexia are sometimes experienced.
There can be problems with reproductive organs, pelvic pain, migraine headaches and chronic sleep disturbances
or night terrors can occur.
Self destructive behaviours
Including substance abuse, eating disorders, self-mutilation, suicide attempts, and self-defeating
Survivors feel out of control and without power. They may not be able to take control as a parent and
may be passive-aggressive in personal relationships.
Including generalized anxiety, phobias, panic attacks, trauma symptamology and fear of invasive medical
Including feelings of guilt and shame, low self-esteem, low self-efficacy, and unresolved grief.
Including sexual offending, physical abuse of others, and antisocial conduct. There may be an intense
hostility to those who are the same gender or race as the perpetrator.
Denial of abuse
Some survivors may not remember the abuse at all. They may have gaps in their memories about the years
of victimization and become amnesic. Especially indicative of possible abuse is the blocking out of some period of years between
6-12years of age. Certain life events can jog the survivor's memory.