SEXUAL ABUSE IN PREHISTORY - IMPLICATIONS FOR PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC WORK

The definition of sexual abuse and the frequency of its occurrence in the history of psychiatric patients as known by psychiatric literature are discussed. Then, a survey is reported on 10 medical psychotherapists about their male and female patients under in-patient individual and group therapy Among 57 patients there were 11 of 32 females and 4 of 25 men with a history of sexual abuse, most of them over months or years. Consequences on personality development and vulnerability are outlined. A differential concept how to form the therapeutic relationship and how to handle with experience of sexual abuse is described.