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Home › Articles › Overcoming Difficulties › Beyond the Abuse

Beyond the Abuse

Breastfeeding After Sexual Violation

By Gwen Morrison

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"Often women look at the child as such a wonderful creation and are filled with a sense of fulfillment," says Markell. "Most women seem to be able to split it off separately the abuse and breastfeeding."

Markell sees that attitudes toward the breast change during motherhood and breastfeeding from purely a sexual aspect to a nurturing aspect. "But there are huge variations and reasons for these attitudinal shifts," he says.

According to Markell, how a woman reacts to motherhood and breastfeeding depends upon the following:

  • The age when the abuse occurred
  • The duration of abuse
  • The exact nature of the sexual abuse
  • Who committed the sexual abuse
  • Whether or not the child received help after the abuse
  • What the psychological matrix was during the offense and after support or rejection
  • What the parental response was at the time
  • The pre-existing personality or temperament of the woman or child at the time/onset of abuse

In women who have not addressed all the emotional issues surrounding their sexual abuse, putting the baby to breast could conjure up negative images and can be viewed as invasive, says Markell.

*Marissa Salinger was sexually abused by her father starting at the age of 5 until she was removed from the home at 16. The Nebraska native had her first child at 34. "During my pregnancy, I was plagued with fear that my child would be abused," she says. "I believe that initially, my infertility for five years was caused by the emotional bondage brought on by the sexual abuse. I conceived only after I had worked through these issues. My sister refuses to have children. She feels it is the only way for her to break the cycle of abuse in our family."

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