Childhood Sexual Abuse / Question
Published: May 7, 2003
Dear TeenHealthFX,
when i was younger i was playing with these girls friends i guess we were playing doctor and i was the nurse and this girl who was probably 10 when i was 7 was the dr. and i was the nurse she said this is what dr.'s do i think she might of kissed me but i remember her putting her hands down my pants and rubbing all around very vividly. i can remember exactly where this happened everything is very vivid. i suffer from bulimia and have been diagnosed with depression in the past i dont trust very easily also. i never talked about this in therapy or anything. does this count as being molested and did is it the root of my problems because i havent dealt with it?
Signed: Does This Count As Being Molested
Dear Does This Count As Being Molested,
Whether or not this experience meets the criteria for molestation would not sufficiently answer your question. It is hard to tell what the motives of a 10 year old are and how much they really understand the consequences of their behavior. In all likelihood the girl who was playing doctor was definitely crossing a sexual boundary but may not manipulating you for her own sexual gratification.
The most important factor here is that this episode seems to have had a lasting effect on you and needs to be addressed. TeenHealthFX strongly encourages you to discuss this experience with your therapist. By processing the episode you will come to understand the impact the situation has had on your life and enable you move forward. This seems to be something you have been struggling with for some time. By talking about it in therapy you unburden yourself of carrying around a secret along with the guilt and shame that usually accompanies it. It is important that you recognize that you did nothing wrong and the situation was beyond your control.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Teens whose parents talk to them regularly about the dangers of drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those whose parents don’t, yet only 1 in 4 teens report having these conversations. 
