very dangerous mentally and physically in a relationship. Remember sexual intercourse and acts, no matter how casual, are the closets connections you can ever experience with any human being. Emotions immediately surface. That’s a part of the gratification process. That’s why it has a powerful impact on how we use it in relationships.
Sexual abuse in relationships perpetuates harmful levels of communication. Both partners can experience resentment, loss of natural affection, and diminished pleasure in being in each other’s company. For the partner that is exposed to the abuse, decreased trust in the relationship and self-confidence is negatively impacted.
Sexual abuse in a relationship can be escalated to where both partners fight for power and control over each other’s decision to be intimate and under what circumstances.
- Awareness of more specific behaviors of sexual abuse includes but is not limited to:
- Restricting a partner from using or accessing birth control or condoms
- Unwanted kissing and/or touching
- Continued threats that sex will be sought with someone else
- Continued request to perform sex acts despite communication to stop
- Frequent belittling or making a partner feel guilty for practicing abstinence or celibacy
- Using drugs or alcohol to coerce a partner into having sex or perform sex acts
- Using physical force to have unwanted sex with a partner
- Using sex as a collateral for self-gain and gratification
Sexual abuse is not a relationship issue. It is an individual issue that must be addressed whether in a relationship or not. Self- examination of how you have conducted yourself in previous relationships will enable you to start your process of change. Most times, a person does not address past or present sexual abuse practices until there are legal consequences.
However, being proactive can