1.13 Crisis Intervention

Crisis reactions are how one’s body and mind react to an event that is unusual and potentially dangerous or life-threatening, such as sexual assault.

The intensity of a crisis reaction depends on how a survivor perceives the experience as well as many other unique factors, including their age, ability to understand what has happened and whether or not they have experienced crisis events in the past.

Most survivors feel that they are ‘in crisis’ when they feel helpless and their normal coping strategies and techniques are overwhelmed.

The crisis reaction is a completely normal response to an abnormal life event, such as the crime of sexual assault.

Although many survivors go through intense stages of emotion, many do not. It’s important not to judge anyone’s reaction, as not all survivors will demonstrate strong emotions.

Crisis intervention techniques involve listening and focusing on the survivor’s reactions, assessing the survivor’s ability to cope and creating an action plan to help them cope.