Self-care after Sexual Violence
Written By: Summer Goodine | August 14, 2021
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
Sexual Violence is a major thing that has been around for a long time. An average of 463,634 victims yearly in the U.S. ranging from ages 12 and up go through or have gone through sexual violence. As many cases as there are, only about 310 out of 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to the police. Furthermore, there is also a range of 50 reports that lead to arrest, 28 cases lead to a felony conviction, and 25 perpetrators will end up incarcerated. So, how do people that go through this recover? Well, there are programs for people who have been sexually assaulted, and they assist in the recovery of those who have experienced violence or other traumatic events.
Common Effects of Trauma
Flashbacks
Anxiety
Guilt
Fear
Hopelessness
Shame
PHYSICAL EFFECTS MAY INCLUDE:
Headaches
Difficulty sleeping
What can you do to recover from being physically assaulted?
Relaxation: Using different techniques like doing yoga, listening to music, meditation/breathing techniques, and doing things that you enjoy. Express your feelings when they become present, talk to someone about your feelings, or write down your thoughts.
Exercise: This can be one of the ways you care for yourself after something traumatic. You can incorporate walks, running, or going to the gym. Also, even though sleeping may be difficult you can incorporate using relaxation techniques, controlled breathing, and meditation can also be helpful.
Engage in Hobbies: Try out new hobbies to find your interest, for example:
Art
Gardening
Writing
Sewing
Photography
Knitting
What is the importance of self-care after a traumatic event?
The importance of self-care after a traumatic event is to keep you from thinking about that certain event and keeping your mind clear of negative thoughts. Also, being assured of events that happened to you, will make you more confident in talking about it with a trusted person without second thoughts. Self-care will help you to feel better when talking about your feelings as to not keep them bottled up, and you’ll have more positive thinking when talking about what affected you. With practice, it is an emotional exercise that will make you strong enough to help others as well and to better yourself. You will be able to handle other domestic abuse survivors' situations or listen to their stories and they to you because you have already take care of your own needs.
Identify your Triggers: It’s helpful to identify triggers that you may have had due to a traumatic event. Doing this will help you to create coping strategies to better ensure that you are safe around certain things and people. Also, be prepared with grounding methods: (strategies that can help a person manage their traumatic memories or strong emotions.), if you do end up being triggered. Doing this will help you focus on yourself, each of your senses, and keep you from reliving the traumatic event over in your mind.
GROUNDING TECHNIQUES:
Sound: Listening to music, calling a loved one, and reading aloud are great grounding techniques.
Touch: Grounding yourself with touch could include taking a hot or cold shower, or cuddling with your pet.
Smell: Smelling scents that you enjoy can be a comforting grounding technique by lighting a scented candle, sniffing peppermint, and or using essential oils with positive associations. (Rose, Bergamot, German Chamomile, Jasmine, Clary Sage, and Lavender essential oils are best).
Taste: Eating things that take your mind off negative thoughts. Biting into a lemon, or letting a piece of chocolate melt in your mouth can ground you.
Sight: Focusing on specific objects like counting the pieces of furniture around you or any other object, watching your favorite movie/tv show(s), reading is a great way to ground yourself, going for walks, and or nature/bird watching, etc.