How Do Survivors Heal After Sexual Assault?

Reaching Out and Connecting With Others

Often in life we find healing in the comfort of our peers. Talking with others can ease the sense of isolation and help survivors gain tools to cope with the effects of sexual violence and work toward healing. Even if a person intellectually understands that they are not to blame for the assault, they may still struggle with a sense of guilt or shame. When a person can connect with others who support them, it becomes easier to fully accept that they are not responsible.

Reconnecting to the Body

It can be frightening for survivors to get back in touch with their body and feelings following a sexual trauma — but while the process of reconnecting may feel painful, it’s crucial to healing. Being in touch with your body and feelings can eventually make you feel safe, confident, and powerful. Techniques to try include mindfulness meditation, journaling, walking, being in nature, yoga, tai chi, qigong or other mindful movement practices, and artistic expression through all forms of art. There is no right or wrong way to practice self-care as long as you are doing it in a healthy way — self-care takes practice, and the important part is that you keep trying.

Creating New Boundaries

You may want to think about setting some new boundaries with yourself and others. Notice when certain people, places, or situations make you feel uncomfortable, frightened, or uneasy — these are requests from your inner self for protection. You don’t need to justify your boundary to anyone. If people don’t respect your boundaries, they don’t respect you.

Therapy Options for Healing PTSD

There are many options for healing PTSD (post-traumatic stress) that results from sexual assault, including cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, stress inoculation training, medicines, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) therapy — a simple and effective therapy that can help your brain process traumatic memories differently. You can find someone trained in EMDR at emdria.org or emdr.com. Every person responds differently to different treatments, so it’s important to know the options and seek expert help.

We also acknowledge that therapy can be inaccessible for many reasons. Directories like latinxtherapy.com, inclusivetherapists.com, therapyforblackgirls.com, and southasiantherapists.org exist to help bridge those gaps. And if you need support right now: National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-4673, or text LOVEIS to 22522.