Sexual Abuse, Assault, and Rape Awareness

Emotional Reactions

More often than physical effects, victims tend to experience emotional devastation. Some of these psychological effects include: flashbacks, guilt, shame, depression, Battered Women's Syndrome, Borderline Personality Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Complex PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Rape Trauma Syndrome, Stockholm Syndrome, and many other similar symptoms. Additionally, male survivors often have trouble dealing with their sexuality and masculinity after an assault. There are also indicators to look for in child sexual abuse such as: changes in comfort levels, changes in school work, social changes, avoidance, sexualized behavior, language, age inappropriate sexual knowledge, unexplained pregnancy, STDs, or unexplained physical trauma. Victim's can also suffer from self-induced after-effects including: substance abuse, self-harm, suicidal ideation, risk taking acts, and provocative behavior to encite self-punishment. Victims can receive help for these life altering conditions through counseling from their local Rape Crisis Center, Sunshine House, or Women's Refuge Center.

Anger

- Many sexual assault victims experience anger. Sometimes this anger is directed towards the offender, sometimes it directed towards family and friends, and sometimes its directed inward towards themselves. Anger can be a very normal and productive healing tool if it is experienced and expressed in an appropriate and healthy manner; otherwise, it can wreak havoc on your life. Different ways to channel anger in a productive/healthy manner include: writing, artistic expression, physical activity, or by finding your voice/being proactive in prevention.

Battered Woman Syndrome

- This syndrome typically refers to women, although, men can also be affected by Battered Woman Syndrome the same way a woman can. Battered Woman Syndrome refers to someone being in two or more dating/domestic violence relationships and remaining in these hostile situations.

Blame/Shame

- Sexual Assault leaves the victim feeling degraded and shameful. The victim may feel alienated from the world or even unworthy of the support others may try giving them. Unfortunately, victims are often blamed for the sexual assault. There is no one to blame but the offender. Victims should not beat themselves up or feel shameful because they did nothing wrong. Sexual Assault is NEVER the victims fault. Surround yourself with supportive individuals who are more concerned with getting you through this trauma, rather than placing the blame on you. This is no time to isolate yourself.

Coping Skills

- Coping skills are as individual as the victims themselves. They are tools used by the victim to endure the pain, overcome the symptoms, and survive. Coping skills can include: deep breathing/relaxation techniques, dietary changes, exercise and physical activity, use of humor, self soothing techniques (i.e. tapping ones foot/fingers, or rocking yourself to sleep), development of support networks, re-framing negative thoughts, or other things that are comforting to the victim. Victims need to be careful not to use negative coping mechanisms to move them through their trauma (i.e. drugs, alcohol, sexual behavior).

Desire for Revenge

- Although this is a perfectly normal and justifiable reaction to sexual assault, it is poses a moral and legal dilemma. Family and friends who want to retaliate could potentially do damage to your case, but they also run the risk of ending up in jail when they need to be there for you. Unfortunately, the way the legal system is set up, if the offender is not held accountable, you could be for retaliation. Talk to others to explore alternative uses for your anger.

Flashbacks/Intrusive Thoughts or Memories

- Flashbacks are visions/memories of the actual assault. They can occur at anytime and any place. These can be terrifying and catch victims off-guard. Flashbacks can be triggered by sights, sounds, smells, gestures, individual that look similar to the perpetrator, etc.

Grieving/Mourning

- The victim can expect to experience any number of the stages of grief. The victim is grieving/mourning the loss of their innocence, their sense of security, their freedom, their sense of self, their sense of control, sense of well-being, and ability to trust others. Stages of grief can include; feeling fine, denying anything has happened, anger, bargaining, depression, and coming to accept that they are going to be ok and will survive the trauma. Victims need to understand that they may move in and out of any of these stages repeatedly and in no particular order until they are fully healed.

Humiliation

- A victim can feel humiliated by sexual assault, abuse, rape, incest, etc. They may feel their sense of worth has been degraded and that they are no longer worth being loved. They may feel they are not good enough or that they are an awful person. They may feel that they caused the crime to take place (these feelings can come from: their looks, their actions, their beliefs, etc.). They may feel ashamed of their bodies and not feel comfortable in their own skin. Victims must realize it is not their fault and that they have nothing to be ashamed of.

Limits/Boundaries

- The act of sexual crimes is the most severe of all boundary violations. It is not uncommon that victims/survivors have a heightened need to set/enforce their own personal boundaries. It is also not uncommon for victims/survivors to not have appropriate boundaries in terms of others or allowing others to violate their boundaries. Personal boundaries may include personal space, comfort levels, topics of conversation, etc. You have a right to say no and you have a right to require that individuals in your life respect your comfort levels and needs at anytime.

Psychological Disorders

- Victims of sexual assault run the risk of developing psychological and mood disturbances. These diagnoses may include depression, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, mood disorders, borderline personality disorder, sexual and gender identity disorders, dissociative identity disorder, acute stress disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, complex post traumatic stress disorder, rape trauma syndrome, bipolar disorder, substance related disorders, etc. It is imperative that victims obtain adequate counseling/medical intervention in order to minimize and/or prevent the occurrence of these problems.

Self-esteem

- This is how one views their sense of worth. Victims of sexual assault, abuse, and rape often suffer tremendous blows to their self-esteem. They do not feel competent, lovable, or worthy. They fail to love themselves and have no regard for their feelings or experiences. Often the more others try to encourage or give compliments to a victim, the worse they feel. Overcoming low self-esteem can be a lifelong struggle for many survivors.

Stockholm Syndrome

- Stockholm Syndrome occurs when a victim becomes attached and sympathetic to their abusers. This usually occurs over time, but can also take a few days. Initially, the victim will begin to identify with the offender out of fear. This identification process is a common defensive mechanism. The victim magnifies small acts of kindness or tries to keep the offender from getting upset. Later, the victim may not want the offender to get in trouble and will try to protect the offender. This behavior has been observed in interpersonal abuse, abused children, sexual abuse victims, incest victims, cult members, prisoners of war, and concentration camp survivors.

Sexuality

- Many men and women have problems dealing with their sexuality after a crime has taken place. Men, in particular, have a tough time with this issue. They feel their masculinity has been lost. Men then tend to feel inferior. This can lead to loss of childhood memories, healthy social contact, opportunity to play, control over one's body, normal relationships, and learning opportunities. The victim can then set themselves up as a perpetrator (to achieve power and avoid further victimization), a victim (being determined never to be a victim again nor ever victimizing another person), or protector (tends to protect everyone for fear of them becoming victims).

Trust Issues

- Sexual assault, abuse, and rape shatters the very core of one's ability to trust. The victim no longer trusts the world, the ones closest to them, and most importantly, they no longer trust themselves. Trust issues will affect every relationship that person has in their lifetime, including the relationship with their self. A victim's trust, even after it is earned back, can be very fragile and breaking their trust can re-traumatize them all over again.

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