Recovery After Violence
Recovering From Sexual Assault
Sexual assault can be terrifying and traumatic. After an assault, survivors often feel fearful, confused, guilty, ashamed, or isolated. You do not have to deal with these or any other feelings on your own. There are many concerned people at the University of Chicago and in the community to help you recover and heal (see Resources and Services).
Please remember that the feelings described below do not describe all responses to sexual assault. Each survivor responds differently. You may feel any, all, or none of the feelings described below. Regardless, please remember that many different kinds of help are available to you at any time, on and off campus.
Whether you were assaulted recently or at some time in the past, you may find yourself experiencing any, all, or none of the reactions below:
- Difficulty relating with those close to you
- Changes in your normal sleeping pattern
- Changes in your appetite
- Headaches, stomachaches or other physical symptoms of stress
- Feelings that may be uncomfortable and/or frightening, including feeling generally "down" or angry at yourself or others (including the rapist)
- Mood swings, including crying more easily
- Difficulty with sexuality
- Difficulty in handling your classes
- Difficulty in concentrating
These and other responses can occur after an assault and may be signals to reach out for help. Some of these responses fall under symptoms of Rape Trauma Syndrome, which is a response to fear felt during the attack. For more information on Rape Trauma Syndrome, please see the Rape Victim Advocates website.
