Sexual Assault

Many survivors develop mental health conditions after sexual assault. Having a mental health concern does not make you “weak” or “broken.” People cope with trauma in different ways.
You may have lived with the impacts of sexual abuse or assault for many years. Some may be considering counselling for the first time and others may have had counselling that didn’t feel right at the time and be looking to try for a new therapist.
You may be worried about the ‘unknowns’ of therapy, worried about what therapy might entail, or scared about ‘telling your story’ or ‘sharing painful details’.

At Tranquillium, you will have a safe space where YOU, can start to take the power back. We work together and YOU decide on how much to share. We believe that effective trauma informed therapy requires only a small amount of the story and requires only, that you have a memory of events and are ready to engage. We work together on understanding the impacts and work on processing the trauma in ways that are effective to you and your personal journey. Remember therapy must offer a safe, private place to get help without judgment. You do not have to handle your difficulties alone.

Mental health issues resulting from sexual assault

After sexual assault, survivors may feel their bodies are not really their own. Survivors often report feelings such as Shame and Guilt. Many blame themselves for the assault. Due to the trauma and negative emotions linked to sexual abuse, some survivors may be at risk of mental health conditions.

Some survivors of sexual abuse may develop:

• Depression: Depression is not caused by a single factor and is often a combination of things. A family history of depression, personality traits, genetic makeup, physical health, stressful life experiences and drug/alcohol use can all contribute to the development of depression. –  Anxiety  –  PTSD
• Anxiety: Survivors may fear the attack could happen again. Some may experience panic attacks. Others may develop agoraphobia and become afraid to leave their homes. In some cases, a survivor may develop a chronic fear of the type of person who harmed them, men, woman etc. Experience triggers such as sound, smells and places to name but a few.
• PTSD: Someone who survived sexual assault may experience intense memories of the abuse. In some cases, flashbacks may be so disruptive they cause a survivor to lose track of surroundings.
• Attachment Issues: Survivors may find it challenging to form healthy attachments with others. This is especially true among children who have been abused. Adults who were abused as children may have insecure attachment patterns. They could struggle with intimacy or be too eager to form close attachments.
• Addiction: Research suggests abuse survivors are 26 times more likely to use drugs. Drugs and alcohol can help numb the pain of abuse. Yet substance abuse often leads to the development of different concerns.

Common responses to sexual abuse and assault may include:

• Self-blame
• Feeling numb, dirty or afraid
• Anger
• Crying
• Feeling alone and sense of isolation
• Disrupted sleep, nightmares
• Experiencing anxiety and panic attacks
• Difficulty trusting others
• Denial
• Having mixed emotions about the perpetrator
• A sense of confusion, vagueness and unreality
• Feeling responsible for the feelings of others regarding the incident