Impacts of sexual assault/sexual abuse?
Impacts of sexual assault/sexual abuse on adults & adolescents
It is common for an adolescent or adult who has experienced sexual assault/sexual abuse to suffer one or all of the following affects or symptoms:
- Sleeplessness
- Startled
- An overwhelming feeling of being unsafe or trusting no one
- Headaches, nausea, dizziness and memory loss
- Feeling fidgety and unable to concentrate
- Staring out the window; having a blank mind or sometimes the opposite
- Crying
- Flashbacks
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Feeling numb
- Feeling angry
- Feeling “unclean”
- Feeling alone and fearing being judged
There is no right or wrong way to feel after a sexual assault or sexual abuse, everyone responds differently.
Call the Sexual Assault Helpline
Counsellors are available from 7:30am until 11:30pm, 7 days
