The Far-Reaching Impact of Sexual Violence

The impact of sexual violence resonates far beyond the individual survivor, creating ripples of pain and disruption that extend to families and communities.

Impact on Survivors

• The trauma of an assault can profoundly and persistently impact a survivor’s daily life, regardless of when it occurred. The wounds of sexual violence can linger, affecting every aspect of their being.
• Each survivor’s response to sexual violence is unique and deeply personal. There is no right or wrong way to feel or to heal.
• Common emotional reactions can include debilitating guilt, corrosive shame, paralyzing fear, a numbing sense of shock, and the isolating weight of feeling alone.
• Survivors may also grapple with physical impacts, such as enduring injuries, facing concerns about pregnancy, or confronting the anxiety and fear surrounding the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection.
• The economic consequences of sexual violence can be devastating, involving substantial medical and other expenses, as well as the burden of lost time from work and the potential loss of career opportunities.
• The long-term psychological effects of untreated trauma can be severe and far-reaching, manifesting as debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder, overwhelming anxiety, pervasive depression, and the isolating experience of social withdrawal.

Impact on Loved Ones

• Sexual violence casts a wide net of pain, affecting not only survivors themselves but also their parents, friends, partners, children, spouses, and coworkers.
• Those closest to survivors may experience a range of intense and challenging emotional reactions, often mirroring those of the survivor, such as overwhelming fear, crushing guilt, agonizing self-blame, and burning anger, as they grapple with the aftermath of what has happened.