Sexual assault seems to be becoming a somewhat hot topic, especially among universities and colleges, across the United States. Although it has been a problem for a long time, it seems as though it is starting to come to the surface as something that needs to be dealt with more seriously and treated more like a crime. The stigma surrounding the victims seems to be lifting and it is taken more seriously when people speak out about it. However, there are still some misconceptions regarding the effects that it can have on the victims who experienced it.
Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual advancement or contact. There a few different types of sexual assault but people most commonly associate it with rape. It is, however important to know about the other types. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/types-of-sexual-assault/sexual-assault) It’s also important to know that different people will respond differently to different degrees of assault so if someone is bothered by an incident, regardless of whether or not it is something that would bother most people, it is important to take them seriously and treat them with respect. Many people who have been sexually assaulted do not even realize that what they have experienced qualifies as assault which leaves many of them thinking that they are overreacting if they are bothered by it.
The psychological effects of sexual assault manifest themselves in different ways. Some people will experience sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or oversleeping or intense nightmares. Others may experience body memories which means that they have a psychological response to the trauma but they feel the effects in more physical ways. Headaches, body aches, and nausea are things people may feel. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/effects-of-sexual-assault/somatic-body-memories) Other people may experience disorders that are triggered by the traumatic experience they had. Borderline Personality Disorder, BPD, is one such disorder that people may develop. People with BPD are prone to very volatile emotional states and may experience very intense emotions. It’s often very hard for these people to maintain relationships with people they care about because they are so likely to lash out, which can add to the stress that are already feeling after being through something so traumatizing. (https://www.rainn.org/get-info/effects-of-sexual-assault/borderline-personality-disorder) Some disorders that people experience may go hand in hand, like anxiety and depression. After an assault, the person may experience both of these and will often feel sad and lethargic but also very nervous. A person with depression may try to isolate his/herself from other people and seem disinterested in activities that they previously found very enjoyable. They may eat a lot more or less than usual and their sleeping patterns may change considerably.
Another effect is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is a disorder that develops and occurs after a traumatic event. It can cause flashbacks, nightmares, and an intense feeling of fear in the sufferer. It can cause high levels of anxiety and the sufferer will frequently be on edge. (https://www.rainn.org/effects-of-sexual-assault/post-traumatic-stress-disorder) The sufferer may avoid certain situations if they feel that they may “trigger” (cause) an episode. Triggers for people who have been sexually assaulted can include touching (a fear of touch is sometimes called haphephobia) or even something as simple as a word.
Sexual assault is a really important topic. It’s becoming more and more prevalent especially on college campuses, leading to more advanced plans of action against it. Statistics show that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime (http://savacenter.org/get-informed/) (https://www.rainn.org/statistics) It’s also important for survivors to know about the resources available to them. They need to know how to get help and about techniques that can help to calm them down. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/sexual-assault-recovery/self-care-for-survivors) It’s also important for loved ones to provide support. They should be there to help the victim find help, both medical and psychological, and just provide a supportive presence. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/aftermath-of-sexual-assault/receiving-medical-attention) (https://rainn.org/get-information/sexual-assault-recovery/respond-to-a-survivor)
Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual advancement or contact. There a few different types of sexual assault but people most commonly associate it with rape. It is, however important to know about the other types. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/types-of-sexual-assault/sexual-assault) It’s also important to know that different people will respond differently to different degrees of assault so if someone is bothered by an incident, regardless of whether or not it is something that would bother most people, it is important to take them seriously and treat them with respect. Many people who have been sexually assaulted do not even realize that what they have experienced qualifies as assault which leaves many of them thinking that they are overreacting if they are bothered by it.
The psychological effects of sexual assault manifest themselves in different ways. Some people will experience sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or oversleeping or intense nightmares. Others may experience body memories which means that they have a psychological response to the trauma but they feel the effects in more physical ways. Headaches, body aches, and nausea are things people may feel. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/effects-of-sexual-assault/somatic-body-memories) Other people may experience disorders that are triggered by the traumatic experience they had. Borderline Personality Disorder, BPD, is one such disorder that people may develop. People with BPD are prone to very volatile emotional states and may experience very intense emotions. It’s often very hard for these people to maintain relationships with people they care about because they are so likely to lash out, which can add to the stress that are already feeling after being through something so traumatizing. (https://www.rainn.org/get-info/effects-of-sexual-assault/borderline-personality-disorder) Some disorders that people experience may go hand in hand, like anxiety and depression. After an assault, the person may experience both of these and will often feel sad and lethargic but also very nervous. A person with depression may try to isolate his/herself from other people and seem disinterested in activities that they previously found very enjoyable. They may eat a lot more or less than usual and their sleeping patterns may change considerably.
Another effect is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is a disorder that develops and occurs after a traumatic event. It can cause flashbacks, nightmares, and an intense feeling of fear in the sufferer. It can cause high levels of anxiety and the sufferer will frequently be on edge. (https://www.rainn.org/effects-of-sexual-assault/post-traumatic-stress-disorder) The sufferer may avoid certain situations if they feel that they may “trigger” (cause) an episode. Triggers for people who have been sexually assaulted can include touching (a fear of touch is sometimes called haphephobia) or even something as simple as a word.
Sexual assault is a really important topic. It’s becoming more and more prevalent especially on college campuses, leading to more advanced plans of action against it. Statistics show that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime (http://savacenter.org/get-informed/) (https://www.rainn.org/statistics) It’s also important for survivors to know about the resources available to them. They need to know how to get help and about techniques that can help to calm them down. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/sexual-assault-recovery/self-care-for-survivors) It’s also important for loved ones to provide support. They should be there to help the victim find help, both medical and psychological, and just provide a supportive presence. (https://www.rainn.org/get-information/aftermath-of-sexual-assault/receiving-medical-attention) (https://rainn.org/get-information/sexual-assault-recovery/respond-to-a-survivor)