For the participants in the study, the sexual abuse experience was a marker in their lives. The sexual abuse and events following disclosure of abuse were disrupting life experiences. Managing the aftermath of the trauma involved developing skills that would reduce uncertainty, contain intrusiveness, and manage identity steadiness. The art productions of the children were both an associative tool and a source of data. Through the development of an analysis procedure, it was found that the act of drawing permitted the children to discuss many feelings and thoughts that might not have been revealed if interview questions alone were asked. By using multiple indicators to analyze the drawings, the researcher was able to suggest that the pictures might indicate altered perceptions of self and a less developed use of symbols than would be expected of other children the same age. This study contributed to the concept of identity steadiness in the Life Transition Theory. The skills and strategies that helped participants manage the intrusion of trauma-related thoughts and feelings and reduce their feelings of uncertainty were able to be described. This research also contributed to the profession of forensic nursing by enhancing knowledge about the lives of children following sexual abuse. Listening to children describe their lives captures a perspective on their various challenges and the multiple strategies they use to face their problems. Based on the Life Transition Theory, sexual abuse could be perceived as a disruption of the child’s reality if the child’s expectations, assumptions, and rules are significantly altered. Tables, figure, and references