Essay about Psychological Effects of Sexual Assault

Psychological Effects of Sexual Assault Sexual assault is a term that is used interchangeably with the word rape. The decision on whether or not to use the term rape or sexual assault is made by a state’s jurisdiction. Sexual assault is more readily used in an attempt to be more gender neutral (National Victim Center). Sexual assault can be most easily described as forced or unconsentual sexual intercourse. The individual that is performing these acts on the victim may either be a stranger or an acquaintance. In 1994, 64.2 percent of all rapes were committed by someone the offender had previously known (Ringel, 1997). Regardless, this type of crime can have extreme effects on the victim. Sexual assault is a traumatic event†¦show more content†¦They feel as though there is no one that can help them and that they are alone. This phase â€Å"may be expressed several hours or even days after the crime† (Bard and Sangrey, 1979, pg. 35). In the second phase, called the recoil stage, the victim struggl es â€Å"to adapt to the violation and tries to reintegrate their fragmented selves† (Bard and Sangrey, 1979, pg. 40). During this phase, the victim tries to recover. This phase is very complex and deals with a lot of issues and emotions. The victim often faces extreme fear and anxiety. They become fearful of their safety, as well as anxious in their surrounding environment. They are afraid of the person that has violated them as well as fearful of being alone. They also may â€Å"fear the medical, legal, or social consequences of the crime† (CASA House). During this phase, the victim experiences sadness and depression, as well as low self-esteem. Along with this phase comes anger. The victim either becomes angry with the person who defiled them or they may turn against themselves. (Bard and Sangrey, 1979, pg. 45). The victim has a sense of guilt and blame. They often ask themselves â€Å"why did I go there by myself?† or â€Å"why didn’t I fight back ha rder?† During this phase, the victim may also suffer from mood swings (Bard and Sangrey, 1979, pg. 46). They may go from happiness to sudden sadness, or from rage to despair. The third and final phase is called the reorganization phase; the victim becomes â€Å"reorganized over time andShow MoreRelatedThe Long Term Psychological Effects Associated with Sexual Assault959 Words   |  4 PagesThe long term psychological effects associated with sexual assault includes, depression, substance use, anxiety, PTSD, and decreased self esteem (Foa Riggs, 1993; Resick, 1993). The authors of this article supports current literature which proposes that African American children receives inadequate or inappropriate sexuality socialization and sexual abuse prevention in their cultures and families which may affect their disclosure of sexual assault in adulthood (Washington, 2001;Wyatt, 1992). 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