Sexual  violence affects all of us: survivors, significant others, communities, and society

Impact on the survivor     

Each survivor reacts to sexual violence in her/his own unique way.  Personal style, culture, and context of the survivor’s life may affect these reactions. Some  express their  emotions while others prefer to keep  their  feelings inside.  Some  may tell others right away what  happened, others will wait weeks, months, or even  years before discussing the  assault, if they  ever  choose to
do so.  It is important to respect each person’s choices and style of coping with this traumatic event.
Whether an assault was completed or attempted, and regardless of whether it happened recently or many  years ago,
it may impact daily funcitoning. A wide range of reactions can impact survivors. Some  common emotional, psychological and physical reactions follow.

Emotional Reactions
 
•     Guilt, shame, self blame
•     Embarrassment
•     Fear, distrust
•     Sadness
•     Vulnerability
•     Isolation
•     Lack of control
•     Anger
•     Numbness
•     Confusion
•     Shock, disbelief
•     Denial

Psychological reactions

•     Nightmares
•     Flashbacks
•     Depression
•     Difficulty concentrating
•     Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD)
•     Anxiety
•     Eating  disorders
•     Substance use or abuse
•     Phobias
•     Low self esteem

Physical reactions

•     Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
•     Increased startle response
•     Concerns about physical safety
•     Physical injury
•     Concerns about pregnancy or contracting an STI or HIV

Some health outcomes can be fatal such as suicide, homicide, maternal mortality and AIDS related deaths.

Impact on significant others

Sexual  violence can affect parents, friends, partners,
children, spouses, and/or co-workers of the  survivor.  As they  try to make  sense of what  happened, significant others may experience similar reactions and feelings to those of the  survivor. Fear, guilt,
self-blame, and anger are  but a few reactions they may experience.
In order to best support the  survivor, it is important for those close  to them to get support. Local social services providers offer  free  confidential services to women,  men, and children who have  been affected by sexual violence. This can include  advocacy-based counseling in an individual, family or group setting; information and referral services; and 24-hour crisis intervention assistance.

Impact on communities     

Communities also feel the  effects of sexual violence. Schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, campuses, and cultural or religious communities may feel fear,  anger, or disbelief if a sexual assault happened in their community.  As with any form of violence, sexual violence tears at the  fabric  of community well-being. Additionally,  there are  financial  costs to communi- ties. These costs include  medical services, criminal justice expenses, crisis and mental health services fees, and the  lost contributions of individuals affected by sexual violence.  According to the  U.S. Department of Justice (1996) the cost of crime  to victims  is an estimated $450 billion per year.   Rape is the  most costly  to its victims, totaling $127 billion annually.

Impact on society   

  Sexual violence endangers critical  societal structures through climates of violence and fear.  According to the 1995 U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, sexual harassment alone  cost the  federal government an estimated $327  million in losses associated with job turnover, sick leave,  and individual  and group produc- tivity among federal employees. Fifty percent of rape victims  lost or were  forced to quit their  jobs in the  year  following their  rapes due to the  severity of their  reactions. Development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is likely in 50 to 95 percent of rape cases. Lifetime income loss, due to sexual violence in adolescence, is estimated at $241,600. The contributions and achievements that may never come  as a result of sexual violence is a cost to society that can’t be measured.

Facts About Sexual Assault from the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault

First of all ... IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!

Sexual assault continues to be one of the fastest growing violent crimes in this country

•  About 1 in 5 women in NC have been a victim of sexual assault at some time (NC DHHS)
• 18% of women in this country have been raped or the victim of an attempted rape at some time during their life (US Dept. of Justice) · The victim’s home is the most common place for a rape to occur (Uniform Crime Report 1998)
•  Women are 10 times more likely than men to be victims of sexual assault (US Dept. of Justice Statistics)
•  Men can be victims of rape and sexual assault; however, they tend to report rape less often
•  68% of rapes happen between 6pm and 6am (US Dept of Justice)
•  84% of rapes go unreported (National Women’s Study) · Victims can be assaulted by members of the same-sex
•  14-25% of women are raped at least one time throughout the course of their marriage
•  Many women are raped by people with whom they have had an intimate relationship
•  By age 18, one in four girls will be sexually assaulted and one in six boys.
•  Of adults:
  •  73% knew the attacker
  •  38% were friends of the attacker
  •  28% were an intimate partner of the attacker
  •   7% were a relative of the attacker.
•  Rape is the least reported and convicted crime in the United States.

Contact Friend to Friend for resources and studies conducted on this subject. Sexual Assault Group Info