Three Sexual Abuse Treatment Options

In recent years, reports of sexual violence have increased dramatically. A more understanding cultural environment has encouraged more victims to come forward. Part of this environment includes victim-friendly laws, such as California’s recent statute of limitations change.

These legal changes enable attorneys to do more than obtain compensation for victims. These laws also help lawyers connect victims with the help and support they need. As more victims come forward, there is more help available.

However, these treatments are often expensive. They are also hard to find. A Los Angeles sexual abuse attorney can meet both these needs. Attorneys can arrange for quality medical care, usually at no upfront cost. Furthermore, not every treatment works for every survivor. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

TF-CBT helps survivors deal with the trauma of organizational sexual violence. Therapists educate survivors about things like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and emotional regulation skills. Therapists also use relaxation techniques to help survivors cope with this trauma. Therapists encourage survivors to recover their memories and reinterpret them.

Many children see significant progress after just twelve sessions. TF-CBT helps children deal with trauma and also helps them feel safe in similar environments.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

This approach takes advantage of the connection between the senses and memories. People experience this connection frequently. For example, certain smells might evoke certain memories in certain people.

EMDR is effective with all age groups, particularly among adults. The five stages help survivors develop better coping skills:

• Pre-therapy evaluation,
• Learning stress reduction techniques,
• EMDR therapy which recalibrates the traumatic memory,
• Closure, and
• Post-therapy evaluation.

EMDR lets survivors express feelings which they cannot vocalize. After the client shares a traumatic memory, the therapist uses bilateral eye movement to reduce the traumatic effect. Other types of stimulation, such as tapping and music, also work well.

Group Therapy

This approach is particularly effective among adolescents. The supportive environment facilitates trust, which encourages survivors to share their experiences. For many people, it is easier to share their feelings with people who have gone through similar trauma. There is less shame. Many people exit group therapy with better feelings about themselves, which is usually the overall goal of any sexual violence treatment.

The best sexual violence group therapy sessions combine skills training, an educational piece, such as a doll, and a psychotherapeutic intervention, like an empty chair.

Effective treatments are available for sexual violence survivors. For a free consultation with an experienced sexual abuse attorney in Los Angeles, contact the Law Offices of Eslamboly Hakim. After-hours visits are available.