Effects of Sexual Assault

Effects of Sexual Assault

By: Thomas “Birdy” McKee

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Survivors of sexual assault may experience severe feelings of anxiety, stress or fear, known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as a direct result of the assault.

Substance Abuse
Victims of rape or sexual assault may turn to alcohol or other substances in an attempt to relieve their emotional suffering.

Self-Harm / Self-Injury
Deliberate self-harm, or self-injury, is when a person inflicts physical harm on himself or herself.

Stockholm Syndrome
Described as a victim’s emotional “bonding” with their abuser, Stockholm Syndrome develops subconsciously and on an involuntary basis.

Depression
There are many emotional and psychological reactions that victims of rape and sexual assault can experience. One of the most common of these is depression.

Sexually Transmitted Infections
Table of Sexually Transmitted Infections, their symptoms, treatment, and possible complications.

Pregnancy
If you were recently raped, you may have concerns about becoming pregnant from the attack. If the rape happened a long time ago, you may have concerns about a pregnancy that resulted from the attack.

Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault
The long term effects on survivors of childhood sexual assault and/or abuse.

Sleep Disorders
Many survivors of sexual assault suffer from sleep disturbances and disorders.

Eating Disorders
Victims and survivors with eating disorders often use food and the control of food as an attempt to deal with or compensate for negative feelings and emotions.

Body Memories
Body memories are when the stress of the memories of the abuse experienced by an individual take the form of physical problems that cannot be explained by the usual means.

Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously referred to as multiple personality disorder (MPD), is a dissociative disorder in which two or more separate and distinct identities (or personalities) control an individual's behavior at different times.

Suicide
If you are currently thinking about suicide, or know someone who is, please reach out for help.