Avoidant and compulsive sexual behaviors in male and female survivors of childhood sexual abuse

Adult Sexual Outcomes of Child Sexual Abuse Vary According to Relationship Status

“…These findings suggest a need to better understand the repercussions of child sexual abuse on couple outcomes, including sexual problems, and support the routine implementation of empirically based assessment of past child sexual abuse in couple and family therapy. This is important not only because of the prevalence of the phenomenon, but also given recent research indicating that sexual abuse may partially explain the interplay of couple issues and may contribute to some of the difficult‐to‐treat sexual avoidance or compulsive problems found in some partners presenting for treatment (Vaillancourt‐Morel et al., ). The objective of this study was to determine whether the specific nature of childhood sexual abuse‐related sexual symptoms, as they are experienced in adulthood, can partly be explained by relationship commitment processes.…”

Does experiential avoidance explain the relationships between shame, PTSD symptoms, and compulsive sexual behaviour among women in substance use treatment?

“…A majority of studies investigating women's CSB focused on the increased likelihood of CSB among women with trauma histories (e.g., sexual, emotional and physical abuse, and neglect; Opitz, Tsytsarev, & Froh, ; Vaillancourt‐Morel et al, ). Childhood sexual abuse is the most frequently investigated trauma among women with CSB, with 76.2% of women with CSB endorsing a history of childhood sexual abuse (Schwartz & Southern, ).…”

Relational Family Therapy as an Aid Toward Resolving the Trauma of Sexual Abuse in Childhood in the Process of Separation in the Couple Relationship

“…Sexual abuse is a traumatic experience that profoundly marks the victim in a variety of areas: such as self‐esteem, sexuality, physicality, and especially partnership relations (Corby, ; Knauer, ; Simonich et al., ; Vaillancourt‐Morel et al., ). Research shows that adults who were sexually abused as children often sexualize relationships, and that sex is a media through which to show affection; or, conversely, that it is through sex that someone else will show their affection and love for you (Davis & Petretic‐Jackson, ; Hughes, Bean, & Harper, ; Vaillancourt‐Morel et al., ). An abused woman, accustomed since early childhood that her father demonstrated his “love” and “affection” for her in an, albeit very inappropriate way (sexual abuse), nonetheless may build the strongest commitment and relationship with her father on the very basis of his abuse.…”