When Your Partner Was Sexually Abused as a Child 

Created by Family Services of Greater Vancouver, this booklet was designed for those in an intimate relationship with a person who was sexually abused as a child or teen.

The information can help you whether you’re male or female and whether you’re in a gay, lesbian, or heterosexual relationship. For the purposes of this booklet we will be using the female pronoun.

You and your partner are not alone. At least one in four women and one in six men were sexually abused as children. As adults talk more openly about abuse and how it has affected them, their partners will come to understand how the abuse impacts the relationship.

This booklet focuses on the effects of abuse on your partner and on your relationship. In this booklet we also talk about how you might react during your partner’s recovery. Sometimes it’s hard not to get caught up in your partner’s issues.