Rape is a horrifying experience for those who go through it, affecting both the psyche and the physical well-being of the woman in question. The effects of this inhuman act vary from woman to woman, but many victims develop post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Some of the effects include nightly nightmares related to the rape, the inability to forget what happened often resulting in vivid flashbacks, victims feeling emotional and social numbness, being unable to experience joy and happiness, and having difficulty socializing. In some cases, there is a desire to isolate oneself out of shame and disgust towards their own body.
Blame we encounter quite often in women who have been raped, fueled directly or indirectly by a society in which there are still individuals who believe that the woman in question sought and wanted to be raped.
From a psychological point of view, they may unknowingly attract a certain type of man, but that does not mean it is acceptable for that man to commit abuse, regardless of how the woman is dressed or behaves.
Unfortunately, there have been situations where a rape was reported, but it was later proven that it did not occur, leading people, who already looked skeptically at women who were raped, to be even less trusting when such a situation arises.
It is important to consider that even women who claim to have been abused and have not been may have some form of emotional imbalance and believe that their outcry will help them, but unfortunately, it does not.
Even a delayed cry for help needs to be listened to with patience and understanding, and most of the time, these women need specialized help to cope better with this traumatic event.
Some women lose their confidence in themselves and/or in men, no longer feel comfortable in their bodies, carry a sense of guilt even though it is not their fault, struggle to sleep or remain vigilant all the time, which exhausts them terribly.
Some feel the obsessive need to wash themselves many times over, living with the impression that their body is dirty because of the rape, and lastly, the risk of suicidal thoughts increases significantly, potentially leading to a completed suicidal act.
There are certain stages that most rape victims go through:
- minimization - tries to downplay the experience she went through as not being so important and that it will pass,
- dramatization - talks about what happened all the time with almost anyone,
- suppression - refuses to discuss the event,
- next would be the stage where she seeks to analyze what happened,
- the last would be the escape stage - she may move to another city or country, change her physical appearance from hair to makeup, change her job etc.
Rape victims need understanding from those around them, a lot of patience, and specialized help.
And finally: When a woman says NO, it is MANDATORY and common sense for us, men, to respect that, regardless of the situation.