Coping with Sexual Harassment and Assault (3)

Last blog, we looked at many of the emotions that a person encounters after a sexual assault. Guilt, anger, denial, a feeling of contamination, anxiety, depression: all combine to make the post-assault period a very stressful time. The importance of telling somebody that you trust about the assault cannot be emphasized enough. Many victims of sexual assault hide the event out of shame or fear of being thought that they brought the incident on by their own behaviors. In some cases, this is a legitimate fear. Although there is no shame in having been sexually assaulted (remember, the real shame … Continue reading →

Coping with Sexual Harassment and Assault (2)

Sexual assault cuts across gender and racial boundaries causing distress to both sufferers and their loved ones. When sexual assault occurs, it often turns the life of the victim upside down as they struggle to deal with a raft of mixed emotions. Unfortunately, it is hard to prepare yourself for many of life’s more difficult challenges, but having knowledge about what happens on a psychological basis after an assault and ways to deal with the aftermath can go a long way to helping ourselves and others deal with this all-too-common crime. Statistics show that, for females, the highest rate of … Continue reading →

Coping with Sexual Harassment and Assault (1)

Sexual assault in all its forms occurs across all age groups and in both genders. Unlike the stereotyped “rape” scenario, sexual assault is rarely carried out by strangers. One of the most frightening aspects of this often life-changing event is that it is most commonly performed by a person who is known to the victim. Sadly, it is not so much the dark-clad figure in the lonely park at night that is responsible for most assaults. It is the known and respected: the fathers, the uncles, the husbands, the boyfriends, the teachers, and the bosses. It is this latter aspect … Continue reading →