Consequences

As a threat to the privacy and integrity of women, sexual violence represents a serious obstacle to freedom. Limited by the fear of being attacked, each develops ways to work around this fear. An adaptation strategy is the set of actions that a woman or a group of women take in order to get around the social limits they face. Each moment that a woman lives and relives the event brings consequences, too often trivialized, rationalized, mentalized. The consequences lead us to isolate ourselves and think that we are going crazy. Know that you are not alone and that a worker from Northern lights * CALACS Baie-Comeau can explain it to you and give you information on the consequences here below.

Consequences of a sexual assault for the victim

Social:

• Isolation
• Marital problems
• Family problems
• Fear of being alone
• Increase in alcohol consumption
• Increase in drug use
• Move Radical changes in activities
• Afraid to answer the phone or the door  
• Community rejection

Existential:

• Loss of faith
• Abandonment of religious/spiritual practice
• Changes or questioning of certain fundamental values
• Feeling of existential emptiness

Psychological:

• Anxiety
• Feeling helpless
• Depression
• Feeling of distress
• Anger
• Suicidal ideation
• Mistrust
• Feeling of guilt
• Constant fear
• Feeling of shame
• Phobias
•  Memory loss
• Feeling out of control
• Feeling of confusion
• Difficult concentration
• Sleep disorder

Physical:

• Physical injuries
• Hypertension
• Digestion disorder
• Loss of appetite
• Tremors
• Headache, migraine
• Weakening
• Respiratory problems
• Exhaustion

Economical:

• Job Loss
• Legal fees
• Drug costs
• Income reduction
• Babysitting fees
• Medical care
• Costs incurred to testify in court
• Moving expenses
• Hospitalization