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Helpful Hints for Assisting Students Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted
Nature and Prevalence of Sexual Assault Among College Students
- 1 in 4 college women is a victim of rape or attempted rape
- Usually the victim is female and the perpetrator is male, although men can be assaulted by women and same-sex assaults do occur
- The victim knows the perpetrator in over 80% of sexual assault cases
- Date and non-stranger (acquaintance) rape often involves physical force, even if it does not result in visible injuries to the victim (holding down, pushing, hitting)
- Alcohol us by the victim and perpetrator is often a factor in campus assaults
- Instances of sexual assault which do not end as a completed rape are often minimized by the victim as not important, but the trauma remains
- Barriers to getting help include: denial, shame/self-blame, fear of not being believed, and fear of the perpetrator
Psychological Impacts of Sexual Assault
- Depression, leading to isolation and internalization of feelings
- Anxiety, panic, phobias
- Post-traumatic symptoms, such as flashbacks, nightmares, sleeping disturbances
- Shame and self-blame, leading to decreased self-esteem
- Physical symptoms – direct effects, such as STI’s, pregnancy
- Indirect effects, such as headaches, gastrointestinal disturbance, loss of appetite
- Substance use and abuse (alcohol and other drugs) and other compulsive behaviors
- Effects on academic functioning – victim can no longer perform at the usual level
- Missed classes
- Difficulty concentrating
- Test anxiety and impaired performance
- Decreased energy and motivation
- Lack of communication with professor or others who might help
- Disruption of education/vocational plans (changing major, transferring schools)
How to Recognize a Student in Distress
- Marked decline in academic or social functioning
- Abrupt change in behavior (missing classes, avoiding social contact)
- Decision to change living situation or to leave school for no clear reason
- Appears upset, anxious, irritable, depressed, withdrawn, or unkempt
- Strong emotional response to programs or discussions about sexual assault
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