Dealing With Sexual Trauma and Psychological Impacts

Sexual trauma affects every aspect of a survivor’s life, from emotional well-being to personal relationships and beyond. In this video, we discuss various strategies for coping and healing, providing practical advice and heartfelt encouragement. We also share stories of resilience from sexual assault and abuse survivors who have found their path to recovery.

Whether you have experienced sexual harassment, abuse, or assault, the psychological impacts can be profound and enduring. Our goal is to create a safe space where survivors of sexual assault and abuse can find understanding, support, and hope.

Healing from sexual trauma is a deeply personal process, and it's important to remember that you are not alone. By addressing these difficult experiences openly and honestly, we aim to break the silence and stigma that often surround sexual trauma. We hope this video offers comfort, validation, and inspiration for anyone on their healing journey.

#healing #trauma

Script Manager: Kelly Soong
Music: Amanda Silvera
Animator: Amy Arendolff
Thumbnail Design: Sun Biscuit
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong

[mrn]

I think that, from all the psych2go videos that I've watched, this is the one that I needed the most. Glad I found it. I've been ignoring the sexual abuse that I suffered in childhood for years, and now I'm finally doing the work to unpack the feelings and understand how it impacts my life.

[nickbullinger]

Shout out to my men who have been too scared to say anything all their lives, and my women who need the same level of help too

[ander_O]

Sexual assault is so hard to talk about, it’s caused me to be hyper sexual at a very very young age. It also caused me to still be hesitant to anyone and everyone. Anytime I would have any sexual intimacy I would have a breakdown, I would have uncontrollable anxiety attacks and shut down. It’s easier now, but I’m in therapy and I am doing my best to get help. It’s hard but it’s possible, I believe in everyone to be able to find closure and peace, whether it happens now or later.

[Иная]

Why is it so underrated? Like, I watched this video not because I have experience, but to understand that problem better

[Ms.Delirious]

I don't remember my sexual assault, but I experienced it. I forgot it at a self-defense mechanism. I still have trauma, and I physically cannot bring myself to feel sexual desire for another person. Even if you don't remember, you are valid.

[Raccoonboi]

6:29
“There’s a version of us from before the trauma that we can never get back”
This brought me to tears man, I was so young

[Sugarinmold]

“Was it my fault?” Asked the short skirt.
“No, it happened to me too” replied the burka.
The diaper in the corner couldn’t even speak.
-Darshan Mondkar

My favorite quote on this topic.
Hearing some of your stories makes me wonder about what we’re teaching people (or not teaching) to make anyone think non consensual interactions are okay. It’s not about men or women at this point. This is about humanity. And it’s a terrifying world to live in.

[_macARONi_]

As a male who got SAed by my two female cousins who are sisters when I was a kid, I couldn't even remember how old I was when that happened cuz I just realized that I've been trying to forget about it and hide it deep down in my mind but no matter how hard I tried to forget, the flashbacks still haunts me. The first time that it happened is when the older cousin babysitted me along with my grandma. I couldn't remember where my parents and my sister are that time but I remember it was the three of us; me, my cousin, and my grandma. So the three of us are sleeping together in one bed and my cousin gave me a candy and SAed me while grandma is sleeping and told me to be quiet. The second time that it happened is when she was giving me a shower. I don't want to talk about it in full detail but yeah I still remember how it happened. The third SAed I experienced is with my cousin's younger sister who babysitted me as well. She took me in our guest room and it all happened there. For years that went by I felt alone and I didn't talk about it to anyone even with my parents nor my sister cuz I didn't know if they would believe me if I told them. Until we got to leave our country and live abroad when I was 17 and when I turned 18 that's when I told my mom everything that happened. All she did was cry while she listened to my stories. Now I'm 23 years old and I'm doing much better now but I'm still healing slowly day by day. It is not an easy thing to go through especially in childhood years. I wouldn't even expect to even share this online like even now I'm fighting my tears to type this story. I may forgive and heal but I can never forget that ugly and disgusting experience. It is just like a wound that heals but leaves you with an ugly scar.

Edited: Thank you for the nice and uplifting comments❤️

[num]

It doesn't even have to be non-consensual to mess you up, being too young, impaired, toxic behaviors, and many other things will also impact you. This topic needs much more awareness spreading, thanks for doing the good work.

[KaelMigzz]

Someone i know (Gf) was in a toxic relationship with her ex before she met me. It hurts me to know that her ex not only abused her, but SA'ed her as well. It burns me to the core that she had to go through that and carry that burden for a year. I was even surprised that she trusted me enough to confess to me. We're already 10 months in and i can say its not easy to handle someone with this type of trauma, but i still love her for who she is. I already committed to carrying this weight with her, and i will not stop until she is finally healed

[nooneimportantreally]

I was only in elementary when I went through COCSA(child on child sexual assault) and he was my cousin younger than me by just one year… I always and I still kinda do blame myself,
“I was the oldest I should’ve said something”
“You’re both cousins this is disgusting”
“Why is did he do that to me?”
“I’m scared to tell him to stop”
“I’m just gonna let him do this, it’s not like it’s hurting maybe I’m just being a crybaby?”
“I don’t want him to touch me there”
“Why is he laughing at me like this, why does he like this?”
All these questions and stuff I told myself at the time and I wanted to tell my mom but I couldn’t, I knew she’d believe me but my cousin was on my dads side of the family and his family back eachother up no matter what… even when they knew my dad abused my mom, sexually, verbally, emotionally, physically, and I had to watch it all so when I wanted to tell my mom… “ if I tell her papi will hurt her and maybe me… I don’t want mami to get hurt again…. It’s ok, maybe he will stop doing this to me soon” I told myself that. And it never went more than touching but eventually he began to start kissing me… tongue and everything… it was fucking disgusting I felt so gross I hated it I hated my life I hated myself and I wanted to die… i was only in elementary and yet I had thoughts of offing myself… eventually we stopped visiting my cousin and his mom and I haven’t seen them since but I still feel disgusting and embarrassed and ashamed… and the worst part is I told my parents this year, my mom cried and said she went through the exact same situation as a kid and she was hoping she could protect me from that and then she said “I’m so sorry… I failed… I failed you as a mom” I cried because how would she have known but my dad…. “I’m sorry but you’re just gonna have to forget about it… I mean it already happened so just stop thinking about it and move on”…. No tears… no apology… nothing…. I’ve been dealing with my hyper sexuality because of my cousin I always thought maybe I’d stop but I’m 16 now and I’m still dealing with it…
And that’s my story about my SA… COCSA survivors rarely ever come out because of people like my dad
“Oh well you were both just kids”
“He’s just a kid he couldn’t have known better”
“He’s a boy he was probably curious”
And it hurts… it hurts that so many kids not only have to fear the adults but even the kids their age… and I’m sorry to all survivors of sa we deserved better and know it’s never your fault and it never will be and I hope you all have healed or are healing from, it doesn’t matter your gender or age or anything your story is still and will always be valid, you ARE valid♥️

[Bella]

Hello, an incest survivor here!
I had to suffer in silence because I can't open up to people about my SA experience, my mom did this when I was 5 months old, and then again at 12, I didn't tell anyone because I know that they will downplay my trauma or joke about it saying "Mother-Daughter incest doesn't exist" or something like that, I'm 13 and I still have to live with mom, I am trying to protect my little sister from SA and I am also trying to heal from my trauma despite my abuser being here

[AroAceGaming]

I was sexually assaulted when I was a young boy, by my brother and it still hurts me to this day. I have never told anyone about this or the problems its caused me the main problem its caused is I developed problems with people touching me. A lot of people don't know that sexual assault can happen to man and not many people know it can happen to young boys. Its not just woman of young girls it happens to everyone and it happens without warning. if you've been sexually assaulted when you were young know that your not alone.

[amys]

I’m 57.. learned to stay silent throughout the years… and still feel broken😔😢

[yukikano]

Only my therapist and my boyfriend know that I was sexually assaulted when I was young. It happened when I used to ride the bus to school. This boy in my grade did it, I called out for help, but the bus driver did nothing. Thinking back, that trauma stopped me from getting close in my past relationships. My boyfriend now, I've been with for 3 years, took things slow with me like I asked. Though that trauma was still there, when we began to get more intimate, I got scared. It had been the first time I'd been touched since that incident. Understandably, his heart broke, seeing me be scared by his touch. That's when I told him what happened when I was young. He understood and waited for me to warm up to him, being very gentle and making sure everything was ok. It's very hard to live with that trauma, but finding an amazing partner like I did makes it easier.

[Bloxtrem]

This is a very important topic. Many would call it taboo, but it should NOT be seen this way.
Every victim of SA of any form, any gender, any age is valid.

[claramiqo]

I have persistent depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, ptsd, adhd, and autism. I am a victim of childhood SA. It wasn't r*pe but only because I escaped by a miracle. This video hit hard and is so true. I have sexual avoidance and pain if I try.

[Roy_Stuff]

I almost cried seeing this, i was victim of SA and got Hypersexuality, at a young age. I never told anyone about this but my Boyfriend. My abuser was my cousin, so i always see him in family reunions. My bf always take care of me and help me with anxiety attacks, he always told me that it was not my fault and is helping me to overcome with the Hypersexuality and all of this trauma.

[skykat]

I was nine when I was SA'd by my doctor.
I suppressed it for seven years and have only now accepted it.
Admitting it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
Practically all of my female relatives were SA'd at some point in their lives.
Acknowledging it seems impossible, but it's not.
The abuse was never your fault.
You are a survivor.
Be who God made you to be.

[failedcontentcreator]

Man... Where do I even start?...

I'm 22 years old and just now learning to talk about my issues with my therapists.

Been seeing one since I was 6 or 7 after what happened to me but for some reason I couldn't talk about anything that happened to me, hell it felt like I couldn't comprehend that I had been SA'd until I was 21.

I spent time in foster care too, I was abused by a foster parent for 2 and a half years then a long with that I went through probably 4 therapists within that time period and for again, I couldn't comprehend that I was being abused, it was like I thought it was normal to be abused so I never said anything.

Even now at 22 years old I'm just now comprehending that happened, these videos help, a lot of videos on YouTube have made me realize a lot about myself and my issues.

Just hope I can make it through life...