Young people 'cutting,' running away due to sexual abuse

YOUNG people who are victims of sexual abuse are cutting themselves and running away from home, said Hulsie Bhaggan, administrator at the New Life Ministries drug rehabilitation centre.

She was speaking on Monday in an International Women's Day breakfast meeting panel discussion on gambling addiction at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain.

She said a lot young people who are cutting themselves are victims of sexual abuse.

"That is their way of not feeling the emotional pain, so they want to feel the physical pain."

She said many of these victims were running away from home, engaging in school violence or using illegal substances.

"There is a lot of sexual abuse in our country. And it is happening, it's a silent killer. And a lot of young people have to cope with it."

Bhaggan said 100 women were surveyed at the Palo Seco Women's Drug Rehabilitation Centre. Most of those admitted were between 21 and 25, followed by 31-35. She said of those surveyed, more than 90 per cent had primary, secondary and tertiary level education; most were unemployed, as they had lost the discipline to work; 48 per cent had no children – those with addictions and children could not come into treatment because of a lack of support; 50 per cent had a dual disorder and a mental problem such as depression, bipolar or schizophrenia; 75 per cent had severe medical ailments; and most started using a substance between 11 and 15 (also true for the male residents); and some had suffered some form of abuse, whether physical, mental, psychological or sexual.

She said some people started to use substances from age eight, and women mostly would start with alcohol, as this was socially acceptable. Of those surveyed, 31 per cent moved from alcohol to cocaine.

"So you can see how complicated and complex it is to work with women when they are addicted to something."

She said the main obstacle in treating women with addictions was that they do not have proper support. She reported that those came for help would have been brought by a parent, sibling or another relative, but the male companion, who would generally have introduced them to the substance, would be nowhere to be found.