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Effects of Sexual Violence

Sexual assault is an act of violence and a crime. Being sexually assaulted by someone you know does not make the crime any less serious or traumatic and may have a longer lasting negative effect. In fact, there may be additional trauma associated with sexual assault by an acquaintance due to the violation of trust, shared social space, and common friends.

Common fears among sexual assault survivors include worrying that the attacker will come back, fear of being alone or of crowds, and concern about family and friends finding out about the attack. Gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender victims may also fear seeking help after an assault out of concern that the report will be taken less seriously or ignored because of their sexual orientation, or that their sexual orientation will be made public. Male victims of sexual assault may worry that they will be considered less "manly." Anger, frustration, and feelings of powerlessness and helplessness are common feeling among survivors of any age, gender or sexual orientation. Reactions to the assault can also include embarrassment, guilt, numbness, suspicion, denial, obsessions with the assault, aversion to touch, and the disruption of a normal sex life.

Healing from sexual assault begins when the survivor is able to deal with what happened and with his or her feelings about it. It is helpful to talk about the assault with someone you trust- a friend, family member, counselor, or an advocate from a crisis center.

• Know you have done nothing to provoke or cause the attack. Sexual assault is the perpetrator's fault, NOT the victim's.
• Join a support group. You local crisis center can refer you to a support group for sexual assault survivors or a qualified therapist in your area. Talking to someone who can relate to your experiences can be a great help.
• Develop a support system. Keep in touch with friends who are understanding and supportive. Know that you can speak to someone at a sexual assault crisis center anytime, day or night, 365 days a year.
• You may experience symptoms of stress and trauma such as rage, terror, an inability to trust anyone, depression, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, substance abuse, exhaustion, or frequent crying spells. You are not going crazy! Your mind and body are simply reacting to the tremendous stress caused by the sexual assault. Talking to a counselor or an advocate at a crisis center who is trained to work with survivors of sexual assault may help ease these symptoms and help you find ways to move ahead.