“In order to escape accountability for his crimes, the perpetrator does everything in his power to promote forgetting. If secrecy fails, the perpetrator attacks the credibility of his victim. If he cannot silence her absolutely, he tries to make sure no one listens.”

Judith Lewis Herman, Trauma and Recover: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

Victims of sexual assault may: Feel intrusive re-experiencing of the event (memories or reminders), avoid trauma-related stimuli, experience changes in thoughts and moods (depression, anxiety, anger, guilt, self-blaming), and/or increased irritability or reactivity

These feelings are not the only emotional effects of sexual assault but they are some of the most common. They are normal and with the right methods, they can be dealt with.

“But no matter how much evil I see, I think it’s important for everyone to understand that there is much more light than darkness.”

“In order to escape accountability for his crimes, the perpetrator does everything in his power to promote forgetting. If secrecy fails, the perpetrator attacks the credibility of his victim. If he cannot silence her absolutely, he tries to make sure no one listens.”

Judith Lewis Herman, Trauma and Recover: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

“But no matter how much evil I see, I think it’s important for everyone to understand that there is much more light than darkness.”

Robert Uttaro, To the Survivors: One Man's Journey as a Rape Crisis Counselor with True Stories of Sexual Violence

Knowing and Coping