Incest Survivors
Incest is a problem that exists across the world, regardless of one’s economic, ethnic, cultural, or educational background. While some groups may be more vulnerable to it, many individuals face this problem in their lives. More than one would like to think. Because of the struggles and consequences that these survivors of incest face before they seek help and after, it is important for one to be able to recognize these individuals and be aware of the resources that are available to them. As I am in my first semester of the Nursing Program here at Fresno State, information that I have learned in this class and other classes will help me not only understand issues of sexual abuse and violence better, but will help me help those that I will come
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into contact with in a professional health care setting. After completing this class as part of my Victim Services Certificate, and hopefully finishing my Criminology minor, I hope to become a better and more knowledgeable person. I will be able to use the knowledge I gain to be able to recognize survivors of incest better, understand how this abuse affects a survivor, the survivor’s family, and the community, and be able to inform survivors of some of the local resources available.
I have gained an understanding of the complexity behind how incest and sexual abuse and violence affects an individual, families, and communities. I can also use the information in class for myself on a personal and professional level in the short term. One thing that I can do is educate my peers and other individuals on the idea of calling a person not a victim, but a survivor. “Victim” is often used to prefer to people that have died or been killed, while “survivor” refers to individuals that have overcome something or avoided death when it seemed likely. This is what we should call those who we typically think of as victims. Someone who experiences and overcomes harsh physical, emotional, and mental abuse is not a victim. He or she is a survivor. I can teach others to show respect by calling people survivors and not victims, a title which can serve to make a person feel like “damaged-goods”. Also, many people place the blame on the person who is abused, saying that they are sexually provocative or wanted it to happen. This, however, is not correct. Incest is not something anyone wants to experience. Those that survive it do not have a choice. No means nothing if yes was the only option that a person had.
I can also use this information in my career after I graduate Fresno State and become a Registered Nurse. No individual in a family where incest is occurring is immune to the detrimental effects that it can and will have on the entire family. A child as young as just months old will likely be negatively influenced by witnessing or experiencing abuse. There are no age requirements to be a survivor of incest. Anyone can suffer and have his or her life forever changed. Depending on the age, a survivor can be adversely affected in multiple ways, looking at behavioral, emotional, social, and physical problems. For example, child survivors may act out in school to try to relinquish the frustration that they are experiencing at home while other children may try to be perfect to experience some control over their lives. It can be a difficult journey to try to help children recover from a traumatic environment or home life. Something that can help in this process is noticing the abuse early and by trying to remove a child from an unhealthy environment or home life if possible. Police need to be involved for the protection of the children, not just Child Protective Services.
Specifically, as a Registered Nurse, I will focus on holistic care. Unlike a physician whom simply focuses on the physiological problems and needs that a client is facing, I will be assessing and addressing social, emotional, spiritual, economic, and other problems and needs that a person deals with on a daily basis, beyond just the physiological. Whether I work in a hospital, a middle school nurse’s office, a physician’s office, or other departments, I need to be able to assess and address challenges faced by those who experience sexual violence and abuse. On a physical level, I need to look for signs of abuse, such as bruising, infections, rashes, bruising, cuts, and more. Behavioral problems I can look for is children who act out in school, individuals that have a drinking and alcohol problem, etc. Other signs include eating disorders and self-inflicted violence. I will also need to analyze and inspect the individuals that I see. Typically, an offender is a White, male, heterosexual who is active in church and only molests his children. While this might be the case, I have to look for offenders and survivors across all levels, from single mothers as offenders, to adult men as survivors. It is important to have an open mind as a nurse and to not make any assumptions or biased judgments.
I have also learned about many resources available to survivors that I can use to educate others in my personal life and my professional life.
Understanding how individuals are influenced by sexual abuse and violence will not just make me more informed, but it will help me be a resource to others that are in need and whom I will unavoidably come into contact with in my line of work. Many individuals, especially children, are not aware of the resources that are available such as counseling or hotlines that can be powerful tools for promoting the well-being of a survivor. Many survivors are not allowed to receive medical attention because of an abuser’s control over the survivor or the survivor is afraid to seek help. It takes a lot of courage for a survivor of incest to put him or herself out there and get any type of help that is needed. For survivors that go to a hospital or a clinic and need help figuring out their next move, health care professionals, such as Registered Nurses, need to be able to recommend resources that the survivors can utilize. BAWAR is a program in San Francisco that can help victims of sexual assault by providing free counseling and advocacy. The RCS in Fresno offers a 24-hour crisis line that can be reached at (559) 222 – 7273. The goal of the RCS is to end rape and sexual violence and to empower
survivors. Incest is often a problem that is not talked about or is associated with various inaccurate stereotypes, myths, and phrases. Understanding more about the complexities that relate to this serious social issue can be beneficial. Many career fields, such as counselors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, and law enforcement officers will likely interact with these survivors regularly. In these circumstances, as well as in many others, knowledge is power. Knowing how to interact with a survivor in a way that is not only supportive but also compassionate is essential to help survivors feel at ease and recover. Knowing what type of help survivors can receive through local resources can make a large difference in the life of these individuals. No matter how one uses one’s knowledge gained in this class, this knowledge can only make a person more aware of the struggles individuals around us face every single day.
into contact with in a professional health care setting. After completing this class as part of my Victim Services Certificate, and hopefully finishing my Criminology minor, I hope to become a better and more knowledgeable person. I will be able to use the knowledge I gain to be able to recognize survivors of incest better, understand how this abuse affects a survivor, the survivor’s family, and the community, and be able to inform survivors of some of the local resources available.
I have gained an understanding of the complexity behind how incest and sexual abuse and violence affects an individual, families, and communities. I can also use the information in class for myself on a personal and professional level in the short term. One thing that I can do is educate my peers and other individuals on the idea of calling a person not a victim, but a survivor. “Victim” is often used to prefer to people that have died or been killed, while “survivor” refers to individuals that have overcome something or avoided death when it seemed likely. This is what we should call those who we typically think of as victims. Someone who experiences and overcomes harsh physical, emotional, and mental abuse is not a victim. He or she is a survivor. I can teach others to show respect by calling people survivors and not victims, a title which can serve to make a person feel like “damaged-goods”. Also, many people place the blame on the person who is abused, saying that they are sexually provocative or wanted it to happen. This, however, is not correct. Incest is not something anyone wants to experience. Those that survive it do not have a choice. No means nothing if yes was the only option that a person had.
I can also use this information in my career after I graduate Fresno State and become a Registered Nurse. No individual in a family where incest is occurring is immune to the detrimental effects that it can and will have on the entire family. A child as young as just months old will likely be negatively influenced by witnessing or experiencing abuse. There are no age requirements to be a survivor of incest. Anyone can suffer and have his or her life forever changed. Depending on the age, a survivor can be adversely affected in multiple ways, looking at behavioral, emotional, social, and physical problems. For example, child survivors may act out in school to try to relinquish the frustration that they are experiencing at home while other children may try to be perfect to experience some control over their lives. It can be a difficult journey to try to help children recover from a traumatic environment or home life. Something that can help in this process is noticing the abuse early and by trying to remove a child from an unhealthy environment or home life if possible. Police need to be involved for the protection of the children, not just Child Protective Services.
Specifically, as a Registered Nurse, I will focus on holistic care. Unlike a physician whom simply focuses on the physiological problems and needs that a client is facing, I will be assessing and addressing social, emotional, spiritual, economic, and other problems and needs that a person deals with on a daily basis, beyond just the physiological. Whether I work in a hospital, a middle school nurse’s office, a physician’s office, or other departments, I need to be able to assess and address challenges faced by those who experience sexual violence and abuse. On a physical level, I need to look for signs of abuse, such as bruising, infections, rashes, bruising, cuts, and more. Behavioral problems I can look for is children who act out in school, individuals that have a drinking and alcohol problem, etc. Other signs include eating disorders and self-inflicted violence. I will also need to analyze and inspect the individuals that I see. Typically, an offender is a White, male, heterosexual who is active in church and only molests his children. While this might be the case, I have to look for offenders and survivors across all levels, from single mothers as offenders, to adult men as survivors. It is important to have an open mind as a nurse and to not make any assumptions or biased judgments.
I have also learned about many resources available to survivors that I can use to educate others in my personal life and my professional life.
Understanding how individuals are influenced by sexual abuse and violence will not just make me more informed, but it will help me be a resource to others that are in need and whom I will unavoidably come into contact with in my line of work. Many individuals, especially children, are not aware of the resources that are available such as counseling or hotlines that can be powerful tools for promoting the well-being of a survivor. Many survivors are not allowed to receive medical attention because of an abuser’s control over the survivor or the survivor is afraid to seek help. It takes a lot of courage for a survivor of incest to put him or herself out there and get any type of help that is needed. For survivors that go to a hospital or a clinic and need help figuring out their next move, health care professionals, such as Registered Nurses, need to be able to recommend resources that the survivors can utilize. BAWAR is a program in San Francisco that can help victims of sexual assault by providing free counseling and advocacy. The RCS in Fresno offers a 24-hour crisis line that can be reached at (559) 222 – 7273. The goal of the RCS is to end rape and sexual violence and to empower
survivors. Incest is often a problem that is not talked about or is associated with various inaccurate stereotypes, myths, and phrases. Understanding more about the complexities that relate to this serious social issue can be beneficial. Many career fields, such as counselors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, and law enforcement officers will likely interact with these survivors regularly. In these circumstances, as well as in many others, knowledge is power. Knowing how to interact with a survivor in a way that is not only supportive but also compassionate is essential to help survivors feel at ease and recover. Knowing what type of help survivors can receive through local resources can make a large difference in the life of these individuals. No matter how one uses one’s knowledge gained in this class, this knowledge can only make a person more aware of the struggles individuals around us face every single day.