Odd question - physiological effects of CSA
melliferal
Registrant
Even in a forum dedicated to exploring uncomfortable topics, I'm somewhat reluctant to bring this one up (not sure why, honestly). But I've noticed what I believe to be a trend, and I want to know if my suspicion is correct.
Although certainly not all, a great deal of the male survivors of CSA I've talked to (myself included - I suppose I talk to myself sometimes) have told me that they experienced precocious puberty, or at least went through puberty at an age noticeably lower than the "average" age this happens. Many of those people are under the impression that the precocity is a result of the abuse, which is an understandable line of reasoning. Independently of this issue, I'm aware that sexual precocity can lead to certain other effects, like stunted growth or endocrine problems.
So, the question is, has a link between early sexual stimulation and precocity been demonstrated, or is puberty something "hard wired" enough that the abuse would have no effect? Or is this something nobody's looked at yet?
Although certainly not all, a great deal of the male survivors of CSA I've talked to (myself included - I suppose I talk to myself sometimes) have told me that they experienced precocious puberty, or at least went through puberty at an age noticeably lower than the "average" age this happens. Many of those people are under the impression that the precocity is a result of the abuse, which is an understandable line of reasoning. Independently of this issue, I'm aware that sexual precocity can lead to certain other effects, like stunted growth or endocrine problems.
So, the question is, has a link between early sexual stimulation and precocity been demonstrated, or is puberty something "hard wired" enough that the abuse would have no effect? Or is this something nobody's looked at yet?