[(JD)]

There's been a news story here in the USA this week. It was about a little girl seen in a video being horrifically abused by a man. Another girl on the same tape was identified. She is now 12 and is ok. With all the publicity, they also found the little girl who was 3 at the time, and is now 7.

Reports from an interview of a detective says that the little girl has been seen by a "therapist" of some kind, and is reported to be perfectly fine with no residual from the abuse.

I don't know if the detective is covering for the little girl, who's face was splashed on every tv, or if the therapist she supposedly saw knows nothing about sexual abuse, or if they are all just totally ignorant.

Maybe she has blocked everything. Could it be?

and she is still a child. Maybe it will only come out one way or another when she will be an adult.

[DePressMe]

Stories like this sadden me...of course all abuse of children makes me sad.

Its tough because word needs to get out that abuse happens--we can't just shove it under the carpet and yet how do we protect the victims from the media?

I think... that they are clueless...

the residual effect will show up.. at some point in her life... there is no way.. that it won't....therapist like that should be banned if he really did say that... because it will show up...

and it was important that they find them... so there had to be exposure via media..

However, these two.. have been "outted" for the their future.. not by their choice... and I believe that will also have an impact upon their lives...

The decision to share whether you have been abused... and at what point you are ready to do that.. is a very personal choice....or it should be..

I am not by any means saying that anyone should be ashamed of having people know... just that it is powerful knowledge... and having a right to share that or not share it.. belongs to the victum.. or it should..

just my opinion...

[SeptemberMorn]

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Reports from an interview of a detective says that the little girl has been seen by a "therapist" of some kind, and is reported to be perfectly fine with no residual from the abuse.

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That's a bunch of BUNK!!!

Freewill, I agree with you completely. Those girls' identity should have been kept secret. The trauma of the abuse is bad enough. The abuse by the press just adds to it!

some people do cope fairly well with abuse. depends on the rest of their life circumstances. if they have people who they can talk to about their feelings. how many internal coping resources they have. how genetically 'hardy' they are.

while abuse is a major trigger of mental disorder it is not the case that everyone who has been abused has a mental disorder or severe problems in integrating and dealing with that abuse.

that doesn't condone or excuse or endorse what was done to her at all. it isn't to say that it doesn't matter at all. it is to say... that it is up to her really if she is coping well with it or not. i'd hate to make assumptions either way (that she is or that she isn't)

I agree with TimeO. She is so young bless her heart, she will be blocking it or confused by it. I can't believe they revealed her identity, that is abuse in itself imho.
She may have issues when she is older, I hope she will forget with all my heart. I hope her abuser is dealt with accordingly, i daren't say more on this subject, I don't want to get started.

jin

for those outside the US - a photo of her face (a still from the video) was given to the press when they were attempting to identify her - in order to locate her and save her.

Since she was identified (maybe a week later?) her face has not been shown by reputable press. The reports say that her mother was not aware of what happened - it's reported that the abuse occured when the child was with a babysitter.

Campy

[Perna]

She was only 2-1/2 and depending on what happened and her own psychology, may/may not "remember" much:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=3688395&page=1

[Fuzzybear]

i doubt a grown man can violently rape a 2.5 year old without the mother having any indication. It should be cause for neglect if nothing else. imo.

[Rapunzel]

I think the press needs to get their noses out of it and give those girls as much chance for a normal life as possible. That said, it is possible for someone to be abused as a child and to be okay. I would expect that they would be more sensitive to any future abuse, but children can be very resilient. A young child who is abused by a stranger, and the abuse is stopped, and treatment is provided, can recover and live normally without noticeable lingering effects. It is a lot easier to recover at that point, especially with the support of loving parents and family who are not abusive. Recovery is much more complicated for an adult who has been abused as a child, was not treated at the time of the abuse (even if an isolated incident - even worse if ongoing), and has built up a lifetime of defenses and walls that interfere with being able to trust people, have normal relationships, or go back and process the trauma. As a child you can learn that there was a bad person who did a bad thing and you don't deserve to be treated like that. As an adult, you've grown up thinking that maybe there was something wrong with you, etc.

But recovery is possible. Otherwise, why bother with treatment? Treatment is easier and most effective the sooner possible after the trauma. I don't know a lot about the case in question though - All I've read were a few headlines and what was said here.