Sexual assault hurts victims not only physically but mentally. April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and the number of women all over the world who are affected by sexual assault is unacceptable.
Every two minutes, someone in the U.S. is a victim of sexual assault, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Also, "college-age women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted."
It has been a trend to report on sexual assaults that occur on college campuses, and one nationwide report by the National Union of Students (NUS) found that "one in seven survey respondents has experienced a serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student."
This is 14 percent of students. However, a separate table shows 7 percent of students experienced serious sexual assault and 11 percent of student experienced serious physical violence.
Also, 68 percent of students "have been subject to verbal or physical sexual harassment." Sixteen percent of students have experienced unwanted sexual contact, like kissing, touching or molesting, most of which happened in public.
In the foreword of the study, Olivia Bailey, the NUS National Women's Officer, said that the study focused on women ages 18 to 25 because they are more prone to suffer from experiences with domestic violence.
Reporting levels are still low as well. For example, 43 percent of victims of sexual assault told no one about their experience.
Just by looking at these results, it is apparent that sexual assault or harassment affects many women. There are also apparent psychological effects, which can be seen in reasons for why women don't report when they've been assaulted.
Many felt guilt, embarrassment and shame for physical and sexual violence and stalking. In some negative experiences with police, the victims reported that the police made them feel at fault, even suggesting what they were wearing could have caused the assault.
These circumstances, especially feeling at blame for something horrible that happened to oneself, can be challenging for the mind and emotions.
Rachel Efron, a therapist with Health Services at Columbia University, wrote in an article that "women learn to diminish or ignore their own judgment, especially when it contradicts with that of another – especially when that other is a male."
She also goes on to write that feelings of embarrassment and the desire to avoid conflict cause women to allow sexual assault in many cases. They also tend to ignore "their first feelings of discomfort or danger, and as a result maybe missed an opportunity to escape."
It doesn't help that many people still believe that if a woman dresses suggestively or shows interest in a man or has been known to be sexual in the past, that she's just asking for it. With how many things women have to consider that might lead to sexual assault, it's no surprise that it happens so often. Women still seem to have the blame for being the victims of violation.
Women are taught ways to avoid sexual assault as if suggesting it's their own fault when it happens. Not everyone in society thinks like this, but I've come across men who hold this view. Unfortunately, society's views and what men can get away with won't change overnight, so it is beneficial for women to try to avoid putting off certain vibes and stay aware at all times in order to reduce their risk for sexual assault by men with no morals.
It should also be noted that the line between women who regret consensual sex and women who have been sexually assaulted can sometimes be pretty thin. Everyone has different definitions, and this can create a lot of anxiety and other deep emotions, especially when a woman is trying to figure out if she should report it.
According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, here are some emotional/psychological and physiological effects of sexual assault:
Possible Emotional/Psychological Effects of Sexual Assault:
▪ Shock/denial
▪ Irritability/anger
▪ Depression
▪ Social withdrawal
▪ Numbing/apathy (detachment, loss of caring)
▪ Restricted affect (reduced ability to express emotions)
▪ Nightmares/flashbacks
▪ Difficulty concentrating
▪ Diminished interest in activities or sex
▪ Loss of self-esteem
▪ Loss of security/loss of trust in others
▪ Guilt/shame/embarrassment
▪ Impaired memory
▪ Loss of appetite
▪ Suicidal ideation (thoughts of suicide and death)
▪ Substance Abuse
▪ Psychological disorders
Possible Physiological Effects of Sexual Assault:
▪ Hypervigilance (always being "on your guard")
▪ Insomnia
▪ Exaggerated startle response (jumpiness)
▪ Panic attacks
▪ Eating problems/disorders
▪ Self-mutilation (cutting, burning or otherwise hurting oneself)
▪ Sexual dysfunction (not being able to perform sexual acts)
▪ Hyperarousal (exaggerated feelings/responses to stimuli)
Sources:
http://resource.nusonline.co.uk/media/resource/NUS_Hidden_Marks_web_1.pdf
http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32369
http://www.health.columbia.edu/pdfs/dynamics_sexual_assault.pdf
http://www.rainn.org/statistics
http://www.nsvrc.org/publications/articles/hidden-marks-study-women-students-experiences-harassment-stalking-violence-an