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Sexual abuse is an incredibly serious issue that can have long-lasting physical, emotional, and psychological effects on survivors. In order to help survivors move forward towards healing and justice, it's important to understand the impact of sexual abuse on victims.
Physical Effects
Apart from the obvious physical trauma suffered during an attack, sexual abuse can also lead to long-term physical health problems. Survivors may experience chronic pain or fatigue, difficulty maintaining healthy relationships, increased risk of developing a sexually transmitted infection (STI), or heightened vulnerability to substance abuse and addiction. Additionally, survivors who experienced non-consensual violence in addition to sexual assault may be more likely to experience physical injury or disabilities as a result of the incident.
Emotional Effects
Survivors may struggle with powerful emotions such as guilt, shame, depression, anxiety, or PTSD for years after their attack. These emotions can lead to difficulties with self-esteem and self-worth, trust issues and difficulty forming strong social connections. Survivors may also suffer from insomnia or nightmares associated with the trauma they experienced during the attack.
Psychological Effects
Long after a sexual assault occurs, survivors are often left feeling unsafe in their own homes or community, suffering from diminished confidence in themselves and difficulty focusing. Repeated exposure to violent images related to their experience can cause flashbacks or intrusive thoughts that further disrupt daily life. Survivors also grapple with feelings of helplessness as a result of being powerless during their assault which can affect self-efficacy for years afterward.
Seeking Justice & Healing
Thankfully, resources are available to help survivors seek justice through legal action against their attacker(s). Legal service providers such as RAINN (Rape Abuse Incest National Network) provide invaluable assistance by connecting survivors with resources and offering support services such as counseling and crisis intervention hotlines throughout the legal process.
Furthermore, therapy is key for many survivors' healing journeys; talking through traumas with trained professionals can be integral for recovery over time - though this process looks different for everyone depending on individual needs. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization & reprocessing (EMDR), art therapy groups/workshops, and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) - these are just some approaches that exist within therapeutic modalities available today; consulting doctors/therapists prior is recommended when choosing treatment plans best suited for each survivor's needs moving forward.
Sexual abuse is an incredibly serious issue that has devastating effects on its victims, both physically and emotionally. It's important to understand the long-term impacts that these assaults have on individuals' lives so that proper resources can be provided to help them heal from their trauma while seeking justice against perpetrators of violence.
Sexual Abuse Attorneys at Levy Konigsberg
The sexual abuse attorneys at Levy Konigsberg have extensive experience in handling cases of sexual abuse and assault. We are dedicated to helping victims and survivors of sexual abuse seek justice and obtain compensation for the harm they have suffered. We have a deep understanding of the emotional trauma and long-term effects that survivors may experience, and take a compassionate and personalized approach to their clients' cases.
Call us today at (800) 315-3806 for a free consultation.
