Here is some more information I have written about sexual assault for my cards I give out at charity stalls. This information is from the domestic violence course and my own personal experience. This information cannot be copied or used without my permission and is under copy write.

What Is Sexual Assault?

It is any action which is forced, coerced or tricked into taking part in a sexual act. It includes being exposed to any sexual action against your will. Also, it applies to anyone who cannot give consent like a minor or a mentally affected person. It is assault when someone uses their age, size, authority or position of trust to make a person perform a sexual act. Every sexual assault is a crime. A sexual assault is an attack on the person’s body, senses or emotions and on the person as a whole. The effects can last a lifetime and are life changing. The sooner you go for help the better. Counselling and sexual assault counselling are best. They can make a world of difference to how you feel. Also reporting sexual assault to the police can be a healing process and can help you to heal from the abuse. Talking about what was done to you is part of the healing process and will help you to feel better. Many a victim keeps sexual assault a secret for years afraid to talk about what was done to them. It has been my experience that it is not healing to do this and causes harm to you. So, the sooner you talk about it the better and then the healing can begin. Tell someone that you trust a friend, a family member, a counsellor or even a police officer. If the person you tell does not respond in a helpful way, then go to another person and tell them. Sometimes family or friends don’t know how to respond to you telling them, they may not mean to respond in a non-helpful way so don’t take it personally because it’s not. It is important for you to get some support while you begin to heal going to a woman’s group for abuse or sexual assault is a great idea and can be very healing. It is also empowering to educate yourself about this because when you understand what is happening for you it will feel better. Do what makes you feel good and healing. There is no standard way for you to feel after a sexual assault whatever makes you feel better is the way to go. Every abuse victim responds differently so do what make you feel good inside you.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence call a call line for help in your country that you live in.

Some Of the Effects of Sexual Assault Are

Wants to hide away

Afraid of the self

Wants to control things around you

Can feel unsafe in your body

Feels like things are out of control

Eating problems

Loss of trust

Feeling damaged

Frightened/scared

Feeling dirty

Shut down

Problems with relationships

Isolation

Anger

Guilt

Disbelief

Nightmares or can’t sleep

Depression / anxiety

Numb and shock

Hording personal belonging

What Helps a Victim to Heal

Exercise you love to do to get the emotions out of your body and cells.

A hobby you love to do

Have counselling

Doing inner wound work

Do something creative about what happened to you. This helps release all the emotions held in your cells about the event.

Joining a support group of abuse or sexual assault. The positive results of being in a group with other victims is well documented to be very healing to survivors.

Educating yourself about sexual assault and domestic violence.

Reporting a crime to the police. So, you can help stop another victim from being assaulted by your abuser is also very healing for you.

Having a support team, friends and family to call on for support when needed.

Ring a support call number for abuse survivors.

Writing in a diary about your feelings. This helps to get these feelings out of your body.

Reading a book for survivors on sexual assault or domestic violence.

Watching a podcast about abuse or healing.

You need to get your feelings out of your body and in order to do this you need to feel them. When you do this, you will help to heal from the abuse you received and your traumas. Keeping emotions inside of you will only eat away at you emotionally and cause disease in your body. Talking about what was done to you and how it made you feel is an important part of the healing process, so you feel better. Get yourself some support while you heal your wounds and educating yourself about this subject, so you understand what has happened and why you feel the way that you do. Educating yourself is very empowering to you and is getting your personal power back again so you can act from knowledge next time you see violence around you. The more you do this the better you will feel and do in your life going forward. Knowledge gives you answers and solutions to work on any problems that you have in your life. However, you need to do the healing that is right for you as we are all different and like to do things in a different way. You need to listen to your soul and heart for what is right for you to do and then do this.

Trauma and Recovery Judith Herman M.D

The Complex PTSD Workbook Arielle Schwartz

The Vagus Nerve Reset Anna Ferguson

The Body Keeps the Score Bessel Van Dr Kolk

(He is the world expert on Trauma so very helpful as explains what happens to the brain when in trauma took scans to see what was going on has pictures in his book to help you see what is going on).

What Happened to You? Bruce D Perry M.D Ph. D