Common reactions and feelings
If you’ve been sexually assaulted or abused you could feel:
- Shock
- Shame
- Fear
- Helplessness
- Sadness or depression
- Nervous, worried or anxious.
Sexual assault
Generally speaking, sexual assault is any type of unwanted sexual behaviour that makes someone feel uncomfortable, intimidated or afraid.
What is child abuse?
Child abuse is when children or young people are harmed, not protected or not taken care of. Child abuse can happen in many ways, for example: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual abuse, Neglect.
You might go from feeling sad and afraid, to feeling angry – and then back to feeling sad again, or even numb.
There is no “right or wrong” way to feel. Everyone feels things in their own way.
Negative feelings
After being sexually assaulted, most of the feelings or emotions you feel are likely to be negative ones. Positive or “up” feelings make you feel good, but negative feelings make you feel “down”. You might also notice changes in the way you behave.
When people have negative feelings for a long time, it can sometimes lead to mental health problems. It’s important to know a bit about these problems so you can recognise the signs and get help if you need it.
Links
For more informationFor more information about this or to contact the South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault go to the SECASA website. |
