In addition to the pain and trauma that sexual abuse itself generates in those who suffer it, this suffering is often relived when a victim of sexual abuse or violence dares to reveal what happened to them, this is known as revictimizationsecondary victimization or double victimization.
In addition to the perpetrator or the person who committed the aggression against the survivor of sexual abuse, other people, groups or structures can help relive pain of this one. Questioning what this person says, digging into too many intimate details, lacking tact in dealing with the person who suffered sexual abuse, are some of the many forms of revictimization.
Aftermath of revictimization
In addition to the physical consequences that sexual abuse can cause, the psychological impact suffered is enormous. Reliving and perpetuating the events in the mind of a survivor of sexual abuse can generate negative emotions and thoughts, self-blame, isolation, as well as trigger psychological problems and psychophysiological disorders as they are:
- Posttraumatic stress.
- Substance abuse.
- Loss of motivation and self-esteem.
- Depressive symptoms.
- Anxiety.
- Difficulties concentrating.
- Constant fear.
- Feelings of anger and injustice.
- Isolation or avoidance behavior.
- Suicidal ideation.
- Sleep disorders.
- Psychosomatic diseases.
- Headaches.
- Cardiovascular and/or gastrointestinal effects.
There are countless effects that facing a situation as painful as sexual abuse can have on a person’s life. And if additionally, this person is exposed to suffering blaming, stigmatization and seeing their dignity violated over and over againthe healing process becomes more difficult and even for this reason many survivors of sexual abuse prefer to remain silent and carry heavy emotional burdens alone.
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How to reduce victimization?
Frequently, as a society, we tend to fall into prejudices and commonplaces that, although they do not seek to harm, They can end up destroying a person who has had an experience as painful as sexual violence.. Learn some ways you can protect survivors of sexual abuse from revictimization.
Respect the identity of the victim. When a case of sexual abuse becomes highly publicized, it is common that the identity of the victim is not protected nor their privacy or that of their family is respected. It is important that both the media and authorities, in response to their ethical duties, preserve the rights of the victim to the maximum and protect their information and privacy.
Avoid justifying the violent act. Expressions like: What were you doing alone on the street late at night? How was he dressed? Why was he so drunk? Or “you would do something to deserve something to happen to you” are some of the many phrases we say as a society when faced with cases of abuse. We seem to forget that under no circumstances is sexual violence justifiable and that those who suffer it are not guilty. It is essential that we never lose sight of the fact that the only one to blame is the perpetrator and nothing justifies his actions.
Never doubt what a victim says. One of the most difficult steps for a person who has been sexually abused is to talk about their experience; it is something that can take many years. If we add to this that people in her environment, health personnel or authorities begin to doubt her story, the chances are very high that a survivor of sexual abuse will avoid reporting or talking about what she experienced. Believing her words and providing the support she requires is the best way to avoid the revictimization of a survivor of sexual abuse.
Validate the emotions of the abuse survivor. Understanding what a person who suffered sexual abuse is feeling, avoiding judging them and welcoming their needs helps strengthen bonds of trust and provide them with a space where they feel safe and can talk about their experience.
Reduce the duration of judicial processes. One of the most frequent forms of revictimization occurs during judicial processes that drag on for a long time and resort to frequent interrogations that lead the survivor to relive their pain and also lead to confrontations between victim and perpetrator. It is essential that these processes be rethought to protect and provide greater guarantees to the survivor who has the courage to report this type of aggression.
Adding more pain to a person who has faced the most traumatic experience they can live can have very serious repercussions on their life. If you know of a case of sexual abuse in your immediate environment, listen to that person, believe them, help them seek help and avoid reliving their pain.
In it # Movement We are aware of how painful the experience of sexual abuse is and how common revictimization is. Today we want to invite you to have greater empathy with survivors of sexual abuse and avoid comments, questions and actions that cause more suffering. and.