3.1.4 Post-Traumatic Stress

Post-traumatic stress happens after exposure to a situation where severe physical or emotional harm occurred or was threatened.

Sexual assault often causes post-traumatic stress, which includes, but is not limited to, the following symptoms:

  1. Flashback episodes or strong memories of the event;

  2. Nightmares, trouble sleeping or other sleep-related disturbances;

  3. Troubling thoughts, especially when exposed to reminders of the event;

  4. Frequent disassociation;

  5. Intense guilt;

  6. Depressing and anxiety;

  7. Irritability or angry outbursts;

  8. Headaches or migraines;

  9. Dizziness or chest pain;

  10. Fatigue;

  11. Stomach problems;

  12. Immune system problems;

  13. Increased blood pressure;

  14. Problems with intimacy;

  15. Drug or alcohol abuse; and

  16. Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts.

Most survivors with post-traumatic stress try to avoid thinking about or being reminded of the event.

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress usually begin within a few months of a traumatic event but can also develop many years later.

Once post-traumatic stress begins, its severity and duration varies greatly from survivor to survivor.

Research shows that reviewing the event with the survivor very soon after it occurs may reduce some symptoms.

Research also shows that if survivors experience numbness or emotional distancing, they may be at a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress.

The effects of post-traumatic stress are barriers to disclosure and reporting to law enforcement, which is why sexual assault is one of the least reported crimes in the world.