Adolescence is a critical stage of life characterized by physical, psychological, and social changes that shape an individual's identity. Adolescent development involves the formation of new attitudes, beliefs, values, and behaviors influenced by various factors such as family dynamics, peers, school environment, and media exposure. One issue of significant concern during this time is sexual harm, which can cause considerable distress to adolescents due to its impact on their emotional wellbeing and social relationships. Sexual harm includes any unwanted or nonconsensual sexual experience, including rape, incest, molestation, harassment, and abuse, among others.
The experience of sexual harm affects adolescents in different ways depending on many factors, including age, gender, cultural background, socioeconomic status, and previous experiences. The effects are often traumatic and long-lasting, leading to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, trust issues, sexual dysfunction, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health problems.
Justice and closure are essential aspects of healing for victims of sexual harm. They refer to legal justice and psychological closure, respectively. Legal justice entails seeking justice through criminal prosecution, restitution, and reparations while seeking closure involves processing the event emotionally and mentally, moving forward, and finding meaning in it. While these two concepts seem straightforward, they may mean different things to adolescents who perceive themselves as victims of sexual harm.
Adolescents conceptualize justice differently from adults due to their developmental stage. They tend to be more idealistic and naive, viewing the world as fairer than reality allows. Therefore, they might hold unrealistic expectations regarding legal justice, believing that all perpetrators will face punishment, regardless of the circumstances. Adolescents may also have limited knowledge about legal processes, making it challenging for them to understand and navigate the system effectively.
Closure is a complex issue for adolescents experiencing sexual harm because they are still learning how to process emotions and cope with negative experiences. Unlike adults, they lack coping skills to manage strong emotional responses and are prone to overthinking or underreacting.
Some adolescents may minimize their experience by denying its seriousness or avoid talking about it altogether. Others may externalize blame, holding themselves responsible for what happened instead of acknowledging the perpetrator's role. Still, others may seek out distractions such as drugs or risky behaviors to numb the pain. These patterns make achieving psychological closure difficult, leading to further trauma.
Adolescent experiences of sexual harm can have lasting effects on their mental health and wellbeing. Legal and psychological justice require careful consideration during the healing process, considering their unique perspectives and needs. It is crucial to provide adequate support, resources, and guidance to help them understand and navigate these issues better. By doing so, we can prevent long-term damage and promote positive development during this critical stage of life.
How do adolescents conceptualize justice and closure following experiences of sexual harm?
Adolescent survivors of sexual assault often experience complex emotions that impact their sense of justice and need for closure. The pursuit of justice is an important aspect of healing from trauma because it can help restore a feeling of control and power over one's life and circumstances.