Scarred for life
"Scarred for life" is a common trope of child victimology and abuse literature, based on the idea that when "prematurely sexualized" by adults, minors will always bear lifelong "mental scars". It is an extension of the "defiled forever" trope used in reference to the supposed fragility of female virtue in pre-Victorian Britain and its derivative cultures.
Recent research does not support this idea, although there are still attempts[1] by some psychologists and professional associations (including NGOs) to present lists of sequelae relating to Child Sexual Abuse. These are based on flawed sampling and hasty generalizations.
See also
- Debate Guide: Profound and lifelong scarring
- Research: Secondary Harm
- Research: Prevalence of Harm and Negative Outcomes
External links
- Defiled Forever - AllTheTropes - presenting various examples of media displaying the trope.