#csa victim

i'm a victim of CSA perpetuated by my father, which, as a result, means that i've had incestuous intrusive thoughts for almost my entire life. i've had intrusive thoughts about my own family members, ones that scared and distressed me as a young child (obviously). reading and writing incestuous smut has helped lessen those thoughts. yes, i "romanticise" it. yes, i find it attractive. that doesn't make it "harmful", even if it makes you uncomfortable.

the fact is that fiction is a space where i can explore these intrusive thoughts and fantasies safely, without harming myself or others.

Here are some sick tips

“Rapefic” and “a non-sexualized horror fic about CSA” or even “a non-explicit fic that just details how a character deals/copes with CSA” are not the same thing.

Yes, a character being coded as a (C)SA victim is a thing. This can either mean it’s written allegorically, or they have experiences very similar to victims. Hallmarks of this include themes of loss of autonomy, difficult relationships to touch/sex, losing a part of one’s body, not being able to remember one’s childhood, etc.

Not only is it okay to headcanon child characters as CSA victims, but you’re never gonna BELIEVE what the C in CSA stands for.

It’s also okay to headcanon characters from fiction mostly targeted at minors as CSA victims. “But what if a child sees it?” If it’s horror, or something else inappropriate for children, it should be filtered out with all other non-appropriate content. Otherwise, it’s fine. There is nothing inherent about themes of CSA that makes it automatically inappropriate. Again, you’re never gonna BELIEVE what the C in CSA stands for — why is representation for parental abuse victims understood as important for abused children, but not representation of child SA victims? Because our trauma is too gross? Very progressive of you.

If you’re about to say something about CSA portrayed in fandom spaces in the future, ask yourself, “If this was portraying psychological or physical abuse instead, would I have my panties in a twist right now?”

By making CSA victims out to be creeps for exploring or talking about our trauma (including through fandom), you are inherently contributing to the culture of shame and silence that silences SA victims.

Representation for CSA victims matters (including and especially those who are still children, because they are made to feel uniquely “ruined” — unlike their peers, who are still “innocent”)

All of this also applies to non-child SA victims and SA headcanons, too, by the way.

"it doesn't matter if it's an adult acting like a child..."