James Bush
Bush Counseling Services, USA
Title: Strategic approaches to sexual violence prevention in adolescents
Biography
Biography: James Bush
Abstract
It is reported that 1 in 4 women report having experienced some sexual violence as oppose to their male counterparts who experience 1 in 6. Needless to say, sexual violence is a huge problem within our society. The after effects of this trauma have been linked to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, hypersexuality, low self-esteem and low self-worth. Unfortunately, research suggest that trauma that is not treated can become chronic. To further this idea, an experience such as sexual violence that is not buffered by key social supports may create toxic stress within the brain. This falls in line with the research of adverse childhood experiences and building strong brains. Which demonstrates that experiences, actions, and thoughts are recorded in the neurons of the brain during developement. It also suggest that experiences that are most prevalent are most lasting within the brain even after it begins to prune the neurons around the age of 14. This presentation aims to offer strategic approaches in working with adolescents from a primary and secondary prevention model. This keeps in line with the research of ACEs and resilience. The presentation offers to give clinicians and others in the audience practical knowledge on how to arm and empower adults and adolescents with pertinent knowledge to serve as a possible buffer to aid in the event of this atrocity. All in all, it is easier to build strong children then to repair broken individuals.