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Alliance to Recognize and End Abuse
(A.R.E.A.)
Welcome to our website.
Members of A.R.E.A. are interested in these specific dimensions of abuse as well as characteristics which could be indicators of abuse.
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Home Page
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Photos by David Weible
spiritual
sexual
physical/medical
legal
societal
psychological/emotional
Individual Dimensions of Abuse
Spiritual
Damage to an individual's spirit occurs when any form of abuse takes place.
- The extent of the abuse to the spirit is determined by the intensity of manipulation, pain, and fear incurred by the survivor.
- Abuse may be perpetrated by a family member, neighbor, minister, priest, trusted friend or stranger.
When the perpetrator is a representative of God, it is crucial that additional red flags are recognized. The perpetrator may attempt to convince the victim that God makes allowances for or condones abuse:
- Everything is God's will; therefore, God wanted this abuse to happen.
- God cannot be a loving Being if this was allowed to happen to me.
A.R.E.A. seeks to teach that it is because of the chaos and sickness in the perpetrators' lives that individuals choose to abuse. God NEVER condones child abuse. Top of the Page
Sexual
All child abuse has a lifelong effect on the survivor's sexuality.
- Survivors may not realize their sexuality has been damaged until they have had several sexual partners.
- When survivors suffer from repressed memories, sexual damage is still a part of their lives.
- Survivors often wonder why they feel different from everyone else.
- When abuse is sexual, it crosses all societal boundaries of decency, creating additional concerns.
A.R.E.A. seeks to educate society on the social and political importance of respectfully upholding, protecting and validating the dignity of all survivors. Top of the Page
Top of the PagePhysical/Medical
Physical and medical consequences of child abuse are devastating to survivors, their families and society.
In many cases, survivors suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which delays manifestation of their physical injuries from abuse for years.
As dental, chiropractic, and internal injuries are realized, society shares the burden.
- Survivors are often unable to maintain gainful employment.
- Fewer than 10% of survivors have private health care insurance.
- Survivors incur an average of $50,000 yearly in medical expenses, often continuing for years.
- Expenses frequently become the burden of charitable or government agencies.
A.R.E.A. seeks change in the law so that perpetrators are held liable for the financial burden of any and all treatment incurred by their acts of abuse.Top of the Page
Top of the Page Psychological/Emotional
The psychological and emotional devastation that results from childhood sexual abuse affects every aspect of life and often lasts a lifetime.
- Research shows that child abuse actually stunts all normal developmental stages, and changes the brain chemistry in the abused child.
- Child abuse trauma does not simply go away with adulthood, nor can the survivor just get over it.
- Major characteristics include:
DepressionPost Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)Dissociative Disorders (Multiple Personalities)A.R.E.A. seeks to educate society regarding the lasting effects child abuse has on a survivor's body, mind, and spirit. Top of the Page
Top of the PageLegal
Present civil and criminal law in Kansas do not address the special needs of a victim/survivor of sexual abuse whose abuse occurred when they were under age 14. Criminal incest statutes are not applicable. The victim must rely on the criminal statute against rape which was designed to punish a one-time act. Long term psychological effects of continued abuse by a family member are not considered.
Though the 2005 Kansas legislature extended the statute of limitations on criminal child abuse to 5 years, the civil law statute provides that a victim/survivor must file suit against the perpetrator within 3 years after reaching age 18, or, within 3 years after discovering that their present injuries were caused by child sexual abuse, whichever is later.
The current civil law requires the victim.survivor to go to court to prove that they did not discover this sooner. Many abuse survivors simply cannot surmount that hurdle and are so traumatized by the abuse that they cope by forgetting or dissociating or repressing memories until triggered later in life.
A.R.E.A. seeks to change the statute of limitations to enable survivors to pursue legal remedies for the devastating lifelong effects that occur from childhood abuse. Top of the Page
Top of the PageSocietal
The effects of abuse on survivors and on society are dramatic and demonstrable. Survivors are impacted in almost every aspect of their lives, including:
- unemployment and underemployment
- lack of adequate health insurance
- significant loss of time in the workforce
- difficulties in relationships
Because perpetrators are not held accountable for the financial losses to adult survivors; and child abuse with its emotional effects continues
generation after generation, society is left with the resulting burdens.
A.R.E.A. seeks to educate society about all child abuse and its devastating consequences, both financial and emotional.
Some Common Characteristics
of Child Abuse Can Be:- bed wetting
- damaged self-esteem
- non-age appropriate sexual knowledge
- lack of healthy boundaries
- behavioral changes
- unexplained fear
- excessive masturbation
- inability to feel sexual pleasure
- aversion to seeing self nude
- irrational fear of sex
- use of sex for favors
- promiscuity
- unexplained withdrawal
- inappropriate anger
- anxiety
- flashbacks
- loss of previously acquired informaitn/skills
- dental problems, including Temporo-Mandibular Dysfunction (TMD)
- eating disorders
- sleep disorders
- muscular disorders, including fibromyalgia
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
These are characteristics that, taken alone,may or may not indicate child abuse. Rather, they should serve as red flags, especially if several are observed in one person.
common characteristics
Photos by David Weible
Grants by the
El Dorado Charities Auxiliary help to make this website possible
updated 12/01/08
Incest—A Family Tragedy
is an intense documentary investigating the dark and hidden world of sexual molestation of children by trusted family members or friends. Edward Blackoff is producer, writer and director of the documentary.
Please to read Blackoff's statement.
Additionally, A.R.E.A. is licensed to show the film for educational purposes. If you represent a group who would like us to present the documentary to you, please send an email to A.R.E.A. with your contact information.
