As we look at the astrological patterns of sexual abuse in the chart, it is extremely important to realize that these patterns delineate abuse as one possible manifestation, but like all astrology, the chart indicates potentials and the potentials will play out at various levels of consciousness depending on the soul's evolution and the evolution of the family and culture around them. So while Pluto may represent sexual wounding, it also represents transformation and positive power. Pluto may also represent any powerfully healing person in one's life, such as a surgeon, psychiatrist, or shamanic healer. As we heal our own wounds we can transmute the ancestral and karmic energy in our chart and can manifest high Pluto, and can be a powerful healing force to our children and those around us. Therefore, even the most serious pattern of wounding in a chart can be manifested in its higher forms by evolved souls living with conscious people. It is absolutely important to remember this as you read the rest of this so that you don't use the information in a way that creates fear or false memories.
To trace the sexual abuse pattern in the start, the entry point is Pluto, because Pluto represents wounding, especially of a sexual nature, and also signifies control and manipulation. Plutonian experiences leave us feeling shame and deep fear, and are often steeped in karmic memory. Then we look for the connections to Mars and/or Venus. In every (verified or well remembered) sexual abuse case I looked at one or both of these planets are in a relatively tight aspect to Pluto. Mars can signify the act of sex as well as impulsive, ego-driven, self-centered actions and tends to correlate with more violent acts. Venus represents one's relationship function and often Venus will indicate charm and relationship skills used to entice a victim. Pluto connected to Mars and/or Venus is the core structure, but often in more serious cases, the other planets mentioned below figure prominently as well. Just a Mars/Pluto or Venus/Pluto connection alone (and not in the water houses) tends to signify less wounding types of abuse, uncertain or not well-remembered events, or other manifestations. For instance, Mars/Pluto alone might indicate growing up with a particularly angry father and subsequent anger issues oneself. Venus/Pluto might correlate with compulsive relationship urges and a successful art career in later life.
Saturn, Jupiter, and Neptune also figure prominently in many cases of sexual abuse. Saturn often represents a father or authority figure involved in the abuse; the energy imbued will be one of control, rigidity, and perhaps the cultivation of feelings of guilt and ultimate sexual blockages. Jupiter and Neptune are both the Pisces planets and often represent drugs and/or alcohol involved in the abuse. Sometimes they show religious influences, such as Church based abusers or religious imprinting that encouraged absolute devotion or the edict to follow elders' wishes unquestioningly. Additionally, Neptune conveys a sense of loss and suffering while Jupiter's influence tends to indicate grandiose, narcissistic, inflated tendencies of the perpetrator.
The lunar nodes were not reliable indicators of abuse, although the karmic importance of the abuse is delineated by the nodes, especially when there are strong aspects of the core planets to the nodes.
The other planets can often be interpreted as archetypal figures in the story, or as descriptive influences. For example, Mercury might indicate the involvement as a perpetrator or also as a victim, yet it might also signify verbal sexual abuse, such as making inappropriate comments. Uranus might indicate something that happened fast and unexpectedly, or a particularly detached or rebellious individual.
The aspects between all of the planets involved or the tightness of the orbs create descriptive differences. Hard aspects can indicate stress and intensity while the soft aspects (trine and sextile) often indicate a flow or ease which with Pluto can mean lots of abuse and perhaps a sense that healing can be more easily accomplished. Stelliums are often quite significant. Planets in Scorpio or in the 8th house are as well. In general, the planets delineated above in relation to each other and found in the water houses, 4th (home & family), 8th (sexuality and wounding), and 12th (loss and karma) are found more frequently in charts of those abused.
Healing of sexual abuse takes tremendous time and effort, although when the abuse is reported in childhood and psychological healing is started early it can be very helpful. Most people go through many years or even decades before they can face what happened to them and begin the healing journey. In those unhealed years, the effects of sexual abuse include poor relationships, sexual difficulties, alcohol and drug use, difficulty with boundaries, depression, stress, anxiety, and more. In extreme cases, some become perpetrators themselves or victims of adult rape situations, and are also unlikely to be able to protect their own children from abuse because they just can't 'see' what they can't face in themselves. Or, they became terrified and overprotective of their children, instilling fear and anxiety.
As healing occurs, a person begins to feel empowered, realizing what happened to them was wrong, even when they sometimes felt as a child that somehow they were to blame. Some people find healing in helping children or adult victims of sexual abuse and violence through volunteer programs or through a healing career. Others find a good counselor or survivor's group. They learn how to feel their own feelings (recovering their moon), set boundaries (healthy Saturn), and identify and pursue their own inner call and drive (healthy Mars). Healthy Pluto manifests as a connection to one's deepest sense of intimacy and sexuality, absolute honesty and integrity, and clear soul-centered power. Many survivors of sexual abuse initially feel bad about their body, as it seems as if it has betrayed them, and take little joy in their beauty or seductiveness. Others go overboard and are 'sexualized' -- seducing everyone without a true connection to the deeper meaning of sexuality. In healing this wounded Venus, there is a healthy connection with body, sexuality beauty, and relationship potential. If Jupiter or Neptune were involved in the astrological abuse story, a reconnection to that which is spiritual and magical might be called for, or there may be a need to resolve addiction issues in later life.
All in all, healing takes a long time, coming in layers and waves, whether there was one incident or many, whether we were seduced or battered. Our world will be a much better place when we can grow up with our bodies even relatively intact from infancy through adulthood, our Pluto powerful, our other planets free to express themselves without such wounding.