safety alertalert exclamation

If you are in danger, please use a safer computer, call 911 or your local hotline or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233 voice), 1-800-787-3224 (tty). There is always a computer trail, but you can click ESCAPE to leave the site quickly.

Overview

Rape and sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of their gender, race, class, age, size, ability, appearance, or sexual orientation. Rape and sexual assault are violent crimes used to exert power and control. They are also often unspoken crimes that few share, even with family or friends. This is because the burden of rape and sexual assault is, more often than not, placed on the victim/survivor.

The reality of rape is obscured by questions such as, "What was she wearing?" or "Why was she there alone?" These questions should never be asked. The sense of shame and guilt evoked by these questions and other myths about sexual assault put the responsibility on the victim/survivor, can cause victims/survivors to feel isolated after an attack, can hinder her recovery and healing process and continues to lend to a society that is victim-blaming.

In addition to feelings of isolation and self-blame, sexual assault can have considerable physical, emotional and reproductive health consequences. Sexual assault can cause severe physical injury as well as symptoms related to trauma and anxiety. The social effects of sexual assault can also be severe, as women may experience being ostracized or isolated within their community following the assault, or the report of it. 1 Others still note that sexual assault has the potential to undermine a women's capacity to participate fully in society, to jeopardize her housing or financial situation, her personal care needs and poses significant health care concerns. 2

Symptoms of Trauma

Women who have been sexually assaulted most often report experiencing symptoms of emotional trauma. Often, this is referred to as Rape Trauma Syndrome. Each woman’s response to sexual assault differs depending on individual circumstances, prior history of sexual assault or other types of trauma, as well as a personal style of coping. The following is a list of some of the possible emotional consequences of sexual assault reported by some survivors:

  • shock or numbness
  • fear and dread
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • flashbacks
  • minimizing or not believing what happened
  • shame
  • self-blame and guilt
  • inability to trust other people
  • relationship difficulties
  • anger and rage
  • a sense of loss of control
  • physical manifestations of emotions, such as ulcers, headaches, ticks, injuries, and/or sweats

In addition to understanding the various symptoms and experiences that a woman may go through after a sexual assault, it is important for practitioners to recognize that there is a healing process that takes place after a sexual assault. No two women will respond in the same way to the experience of sexual assault, but at some point most women will engage in a healing process. Women will decide the best way to go through this process for themselves, but should be supported and encouraged.

1Consequences of Sexual Assault. 2006. Stop Violence Against Women:  A Project by Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights. 18 Aug. 2006.

2Bacik, Ivana, Catherine Maunsell, and Susan Gogan. The Legal Process and Victims of Rape. Dublin, Ireland: Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, 1998.