(TW: Discussion of child abuse. Move on to the next section to skip <3)

At three years old, I became a part of the devastatingly large statistic of people who’ve experienced childhood sexual abuse. Unfortunately, my abuse is not a unique experience. I was raised to believe terms like vulva, vagina, and penis made people uncomfortable, and nicknames were necessary to avoid creating discomfort for the adults in my life. What likely seemed like an innocent decision at the moment developed into a deep-rooted, internalized shame and fear of my body. I mean if the adults in my life were too scared to talk about these parts of their body, I should be too right?

Sadly, a close family member took this shame and fear and used it to manipulate and abuse me for years. I carried that shame for over a decade before I gained the strength to seek help and report the abuse to a therapist.

After years of work, both emotional and physical, I have created these boards to protect children from abuse through education and empower them to advocate for themselves and their bodies.

OUR STORY

OUR STORY

Aerian, age 5

This is who I do this for!

The Science Behind It

The direct correlation between a child’s anatomical education and abuse prevention has been studied for decades. The National Library of Medicine published an article regarding the necessity of comprehensive sexuality education as a prevention measure against sexual violence. Author Dr. Jennifer S. Hirsch, Professor of Sociomedical Sciences, states:

“The ability of a child to prevent or report child abuse is dependent, in part, on their understanding of their bodies, including the correct names of body parts, the recognition that they have bodily autonomy, and the skills to communicate with a caring adult regarding perceived or real danger”

In addition to this, Dr. Hirsch explains that as many as one in three women and one in six men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime (Schneider, et. al, 2018). With such astronomical odds, early adolescence education is necessary to combat these statistics and work towards a safer future. Not only to prevent sexual abuse but a lifetime of physical and emotional health complications that follow as well.

The Life-Long Impact of Sexual Abuse on Emotional and Physical Health

A multitude of studies have been conducted regarding the direct correlation between sexual abuse survivors and physical and emotional health. Potential health concerns range from gastroenterological diseases such as IBS (Talley, Fett, & Zinsmeister, 1995) to cardiopulmonary complications and diseases (Hulme, 2000). Additional health impacts include gynecological complications, higher pain levels and musculoskeletal diseases, and weight management concerns. In addition to physical impacts, short and long-term emotional repercussions in the form of PTSD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders and anxiety are often found as well (Choi, et.al, 2023.

Our Promise

As we grow, our products will continue to diversify to include people of all abilities, colors, genders, and orientations to ensure no child is left unrepresented.

Reference:

American Academy of Pediatrics.(2011). Parent Tips for Preventing and Identifying Child Sexual Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Parent-Tips-for-Preventing-and-Identifying-Child-Sexual-Abuse.aspx

Choi, S. S., Yang, S. B., Lim, M. H., Lim, J. Y., Kim, K. M., Lee, Y., Shim, S. H., Kim, M. S., & Chang, H. Y. (2023). Psychological aftereffects experienced by sexually abused children: Psychopathological characteristics revealed by the K-CBCL. Medicine, 102(38), e34699. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000034699

Hulme PA. Symptomatology and health care utilization of women primary care patients who experienced childhood sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2000;24:1471–1484.

Irish, L., Kobayashi, I., & Delahanty, D. L. (2010). Long-term physical health consequences of childhood sexual abuse: a meta-analytic review. Journal of pediatric psychology, 35(5), 450–461. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsp118

Schneider, M., & Hirsch, J. S. (2018). Comprehensive Sexuality Education as a Primary Prevention Strategy for Sexual Violence Perpetration. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(3), 152483801877285. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838018772855

Talley NJ, Fett SL, Zinsmeister AR. Self-reported abuse and gastrointestinal disease in outpatients: Association with irritable bowel-type symptoms. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 1995;90:366–371.