Physical Consequences of Sexual Victimhood

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people with a history of sexual harassment had “higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a higher likelihood of Stage 1 or 2 hypertension.”

As reported by Medium, the study showed a forty percent increase in sleeping issues among women who endured sexual harassment in comparison to those who did not. The majority of these victims also experienced symptoms of depression and clinical anxiety.

Results pointing to an increased likelihood of high blood pressure are particularly concerning since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the US. Gone unaddressed, these symptoms of trauma associated with sexual victimhood may have a long-lasting physical toll on the body.

PTSD After Sexual Assault

Another recent discovery related to the impact of sexual harassment and assault was made by German researchers who studied rape and trauma survivors from World War II. Their research revealed that female rape victims had more severe PTSD than women who had suffered non-sexual trauma. Given that the PTSD assessed stems from experiences endured over sixty years ago, this study's findings exemplify the long-lasting effects of sexual violence.

According to the Foundations Recovery Network, when one's general sense of security is shattered by an incredibly stressful event like sexual assault, the body and mind can react in unpredictable ways. Psychologist Nekeishia Hammond explains that the body quite literally becomes "overwhelmed," often to the point of numbness or incapacity to accept what happened as reality.

Consequently, victims might find another explanation for the source of their health issues and attempts at relief may be left to painkillers and antihistamines. These drugs, however, cannot heal deep-seated emotional trauma which will continue to plague the body.

For many victims, physical consequences include stressors, migraines, insomnia, and eating disorders. Other symptoms of untreated PTSD in female rape victims are sexual dysfunction, chronic pelvic pain, and loss of desire. To properly treat these ails, victims must first come to terms with what is causing them. Unfortunately, those victims who do not may face worsening symptoms over the years.

Impacts on Sex Life

As mentioned, loss of sexual desire is a common symptom of rape-induced PTSD. Many are forever altered in their relationship to sex. While before, the act may have been pleasurable and stimulating, harsh physical responses or trauma-based identity issues may make physical intimacy challenging for victims of sexual assault.

Some victims of sexual assault may be unable to engage in intercourse. Others are able to have sex, but suffer from flashbacks or body memories triggered by certain positions, interactions, situations, or environments. Partners of victims who have suffered sexual violence often experience secondary trauma in which they may cope with intrusive thoughts and a general sense of helplessness surrounding their partner's mental conditions.

It's important to keep in mind that trauma manifests in different ways for different people. There are no black and whites when it comes to healing which can make the process far more challenging to navigate.