Negative body image is an often-overlooked repercussion of sexual assault.
Victims feel guilty and ashamed even though the assault is not their fault. No one asks for it. Clothing does not contribute to an act of sexual violence. Alcohol or drug use does not allow for consent. If someone is under the influence, they cannot legally consent. If the act is not consensual, let’s call this out for what this is: rape.
Victims blame their appearance or take responsibility for the assault when they should be blaming their assailant. Family members ask if their clothing was provocative. There is an avalanche of guilt. The assaults may not be reported due to not being believed or perhaps fearing that they will be blamed. This can wreak havoc on someone’s self-image.
There is the desire to hide your body; to make yourself as unattractive as possible. Overeating or starving are potential coping mechanisms. Shrouding their bodies in oversized clothing can be another. There is the desire to become invisible so as not to attract attention. Self harm and engaging in risky behaviors can become a way of staying numb to the pain. The mirror becomes the enemy. There is the feeling of being lost and not being able to see yourself for who you are and not what happened to you. You feel like a statistic.
Healing from sexual assault takes time. There is no one size fits all approach.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, be gentle to yourself. Reach out for help and support. It is hard to unlearn your self-blame and guilt on your own. Recovery involves developing healthy coping skills and learning to love yourself again.
You can rewrite this episode and you can heal. This is not your fault.
Haven Can Help
Have you or someone you now been abused, sexually assaulted forced to work for little or no pay or to perform sex acts?
Contact us for free and confidential services:
Human Trafficking Program
(209) 248-4773
24-Hour Crisis Line (209) 577-5980
Main Line (209) 524-4331
Toll Free 1-888-45-HAVEN