Removing The Stigma of Reporting A Sexual Assault From Your Childhood
Being a victim of sexual assault at any age can trigger various emotions. But especially when you are a victim at a young age. These emotions can easily be uprooted from your subconscious when you are an adult, specifically when you are reporting the incident.
These emotions can intensify due to the stigma surrounding sexual assault. What exactly is the stigma in this situation? A Stigma is a “negative stereotype”. Sexual assault sometimes has negative beliefs and attitudes towards it; therefore, it has a stigma surrounding it.
This stigma can lead victims to feel even more emotions, such as embarrassment, self-consciousness, and discouragement. And at times, the stigma can even quiet these victims, preventing them from reporting the incident because victims now feel judged.
Ignoring The Negative Talk
Victims who were sexually assaulted as children and are looking to report the incident now as an adult are much better off ignoring the negative talk. The first step for those looking to heal and speak up about the incident will want to block out the negative misinformation others are saying surrounding the issue of sexual assault.
Unfortunately, everyone will have an opinion on the topic, and with sexual assault being such a sensitive topic, there is a strong stigma surrounding it. Others have been hurtful, rude, and mean to victims of sexual assault along their journey. Adults can deal with these hateful comments better than children, but that doesn’t mean the stigma stops as an adult.
It helps victims of sexual assault to journal and validates that they are in control and have the power to seek the justice they deserve. It is important to recognize the importance of creating distance from a toxic environment that promotes the stigma surrounding sexual assault. To move on from the incident and report it, victims will need to seek needed emotional and legal support.
Getting The Help You Need
It may seem impossible to ignore the stigma surrounding sexual assault. But with the proper support and team on your side, sexual assault victims can not only remove the stigma but also get the help they need to move on.
From talking with a therapist to help victims with their mental and emotional needs to speaking with a lawyer to help with all the legal needs, having a supportive team to help victims navigate through the process of reporting the sexual assault incident will make the journey much more manageable. Victims should never be expected to go through something like this alone, and there are trained therapists and experienced lawyers who have the skills to help victims deal with the situation.
In addition to speaking with a therapist and lawyer, there are also organizations to offer support. Many resources are available for mentorship and advocacy as well, which are great programs to join when you are in a later stage of your life. Mentorship offers the opportunity for connection, which is inherently important when needing specific support to heal wounds from our childhood.