Victim Impact
To read Voices of Courage: Inspiration from Survivors of Sexual Assault, download the eBook.
When someone is victimized, it affects his or her life in many ways. Sexual violence can affect all areas of one’s life including:
- Control
- Identity
- Sexuality
- Guilt & Shame
- Spirituality
- Relationships with others
- Security and Safety
- Self-esteem/Self worth
Page Contents
Possible reactions to sexual assault | Common feelings following a sexual assault | Trauma Theories
Possible reactions to sexual assault
- Nightmares
- Difficulty working
- Difficulty sleeping
- Decreased interest in things previously enjoyed
- Substance abuse
- Decreased concentration
- Mood swings
- Memory loss
- Eating disturbance
- Sex/Sexuality issues
- Difficulty trusting
- Difficulty being along or with people
- Problems with close relationships
Common feelings following a sexual assault
- Fear
- Anger
- Isolation
- Feeling out of control
- Depression
- Feeling crazy
- Numbness
- Irritability
- Confusion
- Hopelessness
- Self-blame
- Shame
Trauma Theories
The psychological and sociological literature of the last twenty years is filled with various theories which can help describe some of the effects of sexual violence on victim/survivors. Concepts include sources as varied as the pioneering research defining “Rape Trauma Syndrome” by Ann Burgess and Lynda Holmstrom, the grief process discussed by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in “On Death and Dying”, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” as defined in the DSM-IV by the American Psychiatric Association, and “Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” defined by Judith Herman, M.D.
Before we begin a discussion of these theories, it is important to emphasize that a person who has been sexually assaulted is not sick, crazy or mentally ill. Rape is not a disease – it is more like an injury. One cannot be “cured” of the effects of sexual violence, but one’s mind and body can and does heal from them. This process is a natural reaction to trauma. Stress reactions can break down pre-existing healthy adjustments and patterns of behavior or they may enable the individual to advance to a healthier level of adaptation.
Successful or unsuccessful reactions to stress are dependent on a variety of factors, including support systems, personality and previous history of vicitmization. In some cases, stress reactions after sexual assault may be severe enough that victims/survivors may benefit from working with a mental health professional. While professional help may be needed in managing some symptoms, the power to heal and reorder a victim's/survivor’s life is always within the victim/survivor.
