4 Tips for Dealing With Sexual Assault and Stress

If you’re reading this as a sexual assault survivor, or you know someone dear to you who has gone through this, it’s important to set the record straight early on. The sexual assault wasn’t, in any way, your fault. You’re a courageous person for making it this far and seeking resources on how you can properly deal with what you’ve just gone through.

Recovering from sexual assault and the stress that comes along with it can be a long and arduous process, but it’s not impossible. With the right support and tips and tricks, this recovery can be within your hands and soon become a reality. While difficult, it’s always worth taking one step at a time by applying these four tips.

1. Reach Out to Someone You Can Trust

Talking about sensitive and private matters like sexual harassment in the workplace can be a difficult thing to do. The last thing you might want is to have others turn your unfortunate situation into the next office gossip.

However, you also just can’t keep things to yourself. Part of the healing process entails talking about all the thoughts and feelings that are running through your mind. This means reaching out to someone you can trust. That person can give you the much-needed support as you talk to the authorities or HR manager about your situation. They can also help you as you walk through the painful process of discussing every single detail over and over again.

2. Lean On Your Support System

There are those people in your life whom you know have your best interests at heart. Those individuals can become your support system. They’re there to help you through every step of your recovery and dealing with sexual assault.

Whenever they reach out to you ready to give the emotional and moral support they can, don’t shy away from leaning on that support system. They will be there when things get rough, ready to lend an ear and support you in any way. They can drop you off at home or at work, take your mind off things for a while, or just lend an ear when you feel down.

3. Take Care of Yourself Physically

Sexual assault is a very serious crime punishable by law. You can and should get justice for the incident. However, getting the justice you deserve can unfortunately be a long and stressful process. The process may take a toll on your physical well-being as well.

As you take care of your emotional and mental well-being, make it a point to take care of your physical health, too. This begins with eating and sleeping well. If you need medical attention, be sure to follow through with the necessary medical care as well.

4. Consider Joining a Support Group

No one ever wants to become a victim of rape or sexual assault. Unfortunately, despite that, there are so many men and women who are victims themselves. Some have successfully recovered and healed from those dark moments. Many of those survivors now speak up and form support groups in the hopes of helping victims like yourself.

Having a support system of friends and family is essential. However, being in a group composed of people that went through the same circumstances is also helpful. Since there are some parts of your experience that your loved ones may not completely understand. This way, you can talk to people that get where you’re coming from.

If you take the time to search through social media and other resources online, you’re sure to find a support group in your local area. These support groups can help guide you through these trying times. They can also share methods on how to cope and recover from the trauma.

Summary

Being a victim of sexual assault has a negative impact on different aspects of your life, to say the least. It can take a toll on your physical health. It may affect your emotional and mental well-being. It might make you pull away from the people you love. The incident might ruin your trust in yourself, other people, and the world.