Effects of Sexual Assault

Sexual violence can have psychological, emotional, and physical effects. These effects can be difficult, and survivors may experience them at different points in their lives. With the right help and support, these effects can be managed, and you can go on to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. It is important to remember that recovery from sexual assault is possible.

Some of these effects may be caused by the brain’s biological responses to traumatic events. To learn more about what these responses look like and why they happen, visit the Neurobiology of Trauma webpage here.

The psychological, emotional, and physical effects of sexual assault can lead to changes in your interpersonal relationships. Additionally, interactions with friends and loved ones may have an impact on your healing process. You may consider reestablishing or communicating different boundaries in both existing and new relationships to support your healing journey. If you are interested in learning more about establishing and communicating boundaries to your support network, you can find information and support here.

As with grief, there is no universal reaction to trauma, and individuals may experience a wide range of emotions and reactions both immediately after an assault and for months and years after. As you are reviewing the effects below, remember that every person’s healing process is different, and you may experience many of the following effects or none of them. There is no “right” reaction to trauma.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

It’s normal to experience feelings of anxiety, stress, or fear after a sexual assault. If these feelings become severe, last more than a few weeks, or interrupt your day-to-day life, it might be a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that can result from a traumatic event. Survivors might experience feelings of stress, fear, anxiety, and nervousness. While PTSD is often associated with experiencing combat, some research shows that survivors of sexual assault actually develop PTSD at higher rates than combat veterans (Kessler, Sonnega, Bromet, Hughes, & Nelson, 1995). With PTSD, these feelings are pronounced, can be solicited by many common sights and sounds (as well as your other senses), and make it difficult to function in everyday life.

To establish a diagnosis of PTSD, there are three main symptoms of PTSD:

Re-experiencing: feeling as if you are reliving the event through flashbacks, dreams, or intrusive thoughts. This is different than having bad memories of what happened.
Avoidance: intentionally or subconsciously changing your behavior to avoid scenarios associated with the event or losing interest in activities you used to enjoy.
Hyper-arousal: feeling “on edge” all of the time, having difficulty sleeping, being easily startled, or prone to sudden outbursts.

Where can I get help and more information?

Living with PTSD can be challenging, but learning more about the condition can encourage you to ask questions and find the help you need. You can learn more about PTSD at the National Institute of Mental Health, the Mayo Clinic, or the National Center for PTSD. You can also use the Safe Helpline responder database to connect with medical and mental healthcare providers on your base or installation.

Kessler RC, Sonnega A, Bromet E, Hughes M, Nelson CB. Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psych. 1995;52: 1048–1060.

Self-Harm

Suicide

Dissociation

Sleep Disorders

Eating Disorders

Sexual assault and other traumas affect the brain circuitries directly involved in the regulation of sleep and eating behaviors. Trauma also affects circuitries involved in depression and anxiety, and both of these affect sleep and eating. When depressed, it is common to have little appetite and to sleep too much or too little. Severe anxiety can make it difficult to sleep and sometimes the brain turns to food and eating, which can be very soothing and calming, as a brief escape from the anxiety.

Why do some survivors develop eating disorders?

Sexual violence can have an effect on your perceived body image and affect your eating habits. You may use food in an attempt to cope with the trauma, feel in control, or compensate for feelings and emotions that may otherwise seem overwhelming. These actions only provide short-term relief, but they have the ability to cause long-term damage to your health.

What types of eating disorders are there?

Sexual violence can affect you in many ways, including body image concerns and a feeling of loss of control. While eating disorders can vary in type and severity, there are three main types of eating disorders.

Anorexia nervosa: characterized by restriction and self-starvation that cause excessive weight loss and has a damaging effect on overall health
Binge eating disorder: characterized by bingeing, the act of eating without control or response to normal hunger cues
Bulimia nervosa: characterized by a cycle of binge eating and purging of food in some way, such as laxatives or self-induced vomiting

It’s also possible to engage in disordered eating that doesn’t fit into one of these categories but is still dangerous.

What are the warning signs of an eating disorder?

It’s often loved ones or people who spend a lot of time with the survivor who are the first to notice changes in behavior. Eating disorders are as different as the people who have them, but there are some warning signs that can tip off a loved one that something is wrong.

Dramatic weight loss or gain
Preoccupation with food, calories, and dieting
Creating rules and categories for foods they will and won’t eat
Wearing excessively baggy clothing
Yellowing teeth or bad breath
Frequent trips to the bathroom around meal time
Cold hands or lowered body temperature
Refusing to go out to eat or visit during mealtimes
Rituals during mealtime such as chewing excessively, cutting up small bites, pushing food around a plate

Where can I find help and learn more?

Eating disorders are complex. Finding the right support is an important part of recovery. To be sure you’re finding a supportive network, you can locate resources at The National Eating Disorder Association, read stories of hope, or call their Helpline at 800-931-2237. You can also use the Safe Helpline responder database to connect with medical and mental healthcare providers on your base or installation.

Substance Abuse

Depression

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