Study finds several sexually abused children contracted HIV, STDs

A recent study conducted by ChildLink has found that a number of children have suffered from ruptured uteruses, as well as the most dreaded sexually transmitted disease, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
In this specific research, 338 victims were screened and at least four were discovered to have ruptured uteruses, among other health implications.
The report said that many of the children had to be hospitalised as a result of the extent of the abuse, while some even required surgery for their injuries. On the other hand, some children became pregnant while others contracted HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
According to the document, “Child sexual abuse [CSA] must be seen as an important path for the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis C, and other STIs including the virus that causes cervical cancer. Left untreated, some of these infections will lead to infertility and even death. A person who is abused in childhood and does not receive adequate medical attention, including STI screening, is at risk of suffering irreparable harm and innocently transmitting infections to others”.
When it comes to other effects of child sexual abuse, ChildLink found that victims complained more of being sad, getting angry easily, feeling bad, thinking about the abuse “all the time,” crying a lot, feeling down or depressed, and “spacing out a lot.” Participants described feelings of loss of control over their emotions and their lives. Many reported new or nearly constant anxiety.
Victims even reported that they are affected by nightmares, problems with sleeping or eating, flashbacks, numbness, irrational fears, incessant crying, and suicidal feelings, including significant suicide attempts.
Important to note is that those victims also encounter difficulties in school, as they were usually unable to focus. “Many said their school performance suffered; several said they began getting into trouble at school; many stopped attending school; several regretted that they were unable to complete their CSEC and possibly even go on to further their studies or pursue tertiary level education. Often, CSA precipitated school cessation or failure. We must eliminate CSA so every Guyanese child can reach his or her academic potential,” the report noted.
When asked what would be different in their lives if they had not been abused, the victims described completing the activities they were entitled to and enjoying the peace that should be every child’s birth right. Many said that they would have finished school, continued living with their families, been happy, had friends, and would have been able to make something of their lives.
One said she “Would have had a proper job and a normal life.” A number of teens expressed their sadness at not being able to finish school and write the CSEC, which they felt would interfere with their ability to get a job for the rest of their lives.
One girl whose abusive stepfather kept her isolated at home and did not allow her to play with other children, said she “would have been playing more as a young child,” the report said.
Some victims complained of being faced with hardships such as raising a child, on her own, through her victimisation, disputes with parents and other family members which led to them being cast out.
All abusers threatened the children implicitly, by demonstrating their power in a variety of ways. Some children reported that the abusers also issued specific threats to make them comply with the abuse and keep it secret. Some abusers threatened to kill the child’s mother, to kill the child (e.g. “I was crying and screaming and he raised his voice and said, ‘Shut your ****ing mouth before I kill you.’”) Children were also threatened that their parents would put them out if they found out, while others were told that they would make the family unhappy, the report stated. According to the report, children were even told that if they spoke out the abusers would tell people they have contracted AIDS.