Transgenerational Trauma and Child Sexual Abuse: Reconceptualizing Cases Involving Young Survivors of CSA

While current research on child sexual abuse (CSA) has delineated the immediate and long-term effects of sexual trauma, little has been written about intergenerational influences on the presence and etiology of CSA among young children. Dass-Brailsford (2007) defined transgenerational trauma as trauma that has been passed down from one generation to another, either directly or indirectly. In this paper the authors review the literature on CSA, the influence of primary caregivers, and transgenerational trauma, followed by a case illustration. Specific interventions are pointed out to offer mental health counselors innovative tools for ameliorating the effects of transgenerational trauma with this client population. The authors also highlight effective clinical programs on CSA among young children that acknowledge the influence of intergenerational trauma.