The sad reality of the world is that sexual assault is far too common. A sexual assault in any form can be traumatic and take a terribly hard amount of work to recover from. Justice can be hard to come by. Many carry the weight of an assault their whole lives. What can those who have dealt with these terrible actions do to help themselves recover? Read on and we’ll cover some basic ideas.
Open Up About Your Feelings
Many who experience sexual assault, whether it be abuse, molestation, rape, or something else, find themselves in a state of shock. It can take some time before the brain is ready to handle the experience.
In some cases, victims stay quiet because they do not know how to process the experience that has occurred. Other times, victims stay quiet because they fear the damage and ostracization that often comes with bringing accusations of sexual assault forward.
As hard as it may be, talking about your feelings is one of the most helpful ways a person can deal with a sexual assault. Whether it be in a one-on-one setting, such as with a therapist, or a more public airing of feelings, talking can be cathartic.
Working through your feelings with someone you can trust can help you to better understand and be in control of your emotions.
Take Care of Yourself
It may sound obvious, but it’s important to take extra care in looking after yourself following incidents of sexual assault. Many people become depressed and fail to take care of themselves, creating a cycle of pain and suffering.
It can be important to get on a proper sleeping schedule, eat healthy meals, and get a decent amount of exercise following a sexual assault incident.
Many of these things might feel like the last thing one wants to do as their mind still feels from what has occurred. However, pushing and taking care of oneself is the best way to pave a path toward recovery.
Seek Justice
It can be hard to get closure following a sexual assault incident, especially if the abuser in question is still out there. Seeking justice is one way to help put a victim on the path towards recovery.
This is a big step and not one that should be taken alone. One should certainly talk to friends and family before taking legal action and ensure a strong support system is in place. Once secure, it would be best to reach out to an attorney who has experience handling sexual assault cases.
You can read more here about how the legal community can provide great aid for those who have experienced sexual assault.
Recovering from Sexual Assault
Recovering from sexual assault is an act that, in some ways, can take someone’s whole life. The above steps will be necessary if a person wants to feel whole again after such an incident.
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