Parents, with all their love and good intentions, may not fully understand the impact that a sexual trauma can have on a young girl. If you know your girl was hurt, an instinct to keep her closer will likely kick in, but it is critical your child receives help and support with professionals. She may seem to not remember the events or she may tell you she is fine and as parents, we like to think the wound will heal more quickly if it’s never spoken of and left alone.

However, the sexual trauma experienced by your daughter can lead to a myriad of concerning or even life-threatening behaviors down the road, if not immediately. It can be additionally harmful to not address the issue if your daughter will have continual contact throughout life with the person who harmed her (family members, friends, or acquaintances make up about 80-90% of those who perpetrate).

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Wounds from sexual trauma run very deep. Many survivors spend a lifetime trying to work out for themselves all the issues that stemmed from those events. At Safe Haven we want to help our young girls understand what has happened to them at an early age and give them tools for life that will allow them to grow up with hope and health in hand.