In the long run, this prevents survivors from developing meaningful intimate relationships, as they are simply trying to fill a void with sex. Instead of working to heal the trauma, they may have repeated sexual encounters as a means of coping.

While this is not always the case, some people coping with sexual trauma may become hypersexual. All of this can make it difficult to develop intimate relationships with others.īelow are ten details of how sexual trauma affects relationships. If you’re living with signs of sexual trauma, it’s no surprise that it will likely affect your relationships.Įven if the trauma occurred long ago, it might live on in the body, leading you to believe that danger is still present. 11 ways past sexual trauma affects relationships Physical symptoms after sexual trauma are a way the body might respond to psychological pain, indicating the strong connection between mental and physical well-being in the aftermath of traumatic experiences. These physical symptoms can be linked to the emotional distress caused by the trauma. There is a possibility of individuals who’ve experienced sexual trauma developing physical issues like headaches, stomachaches, and other bodily complaints. This can lead to isolation and strained interpersonal interactions, affecting both romantic and platonic relationships. Trust issues, difficulty with emotional closeness, and fear of vulnerability can emerge.įorming intimate connections might become challenging due to the trauma’s influence on their sense of safety and self-worth. Sexual trauma can impact a survivor’s ability to build and maintain healthy relationships. Sleep problems are also common because a person fears falling asleep and letting their guard down. They may appear to always be on edge and view seemingly harmless behavior or interactions as threatening.

People who have been sexually victimized will likely become very aware of their surroundings and may be easily startled. Hypervigilance or always looking for threats or danger is common when someone has sex trauma. Other negative emotional reactions, including outbursts of anger, shame, and ongoing fear, are also common. They might have difficulty experiencing positive emotions, and activities they once enjoyed will no longer bring them pleasure. Negative emotional reactions are also among the signs of sexual trauma.Ī person who was once happy and cheerful may have a sudden change in personality and mood. They may think that they somehow deserve sexual violence, or they might tell themselves that they are unloved or a bad person. People who have been through sexual trauma may develop negative beliefs about themselves. Sometimes, avoidance can mean blocking out memories of the event or anything that triggers such a memory. If a friend was present during the incident, a person with sexual trauma might avoid that friend. This involves avoiding people, places, or things that remind a person of the traumatic event. Avoiding certain people and placesĪvoidance can be a coping mechanism when dealing with sexual trauma. Sometimes, flashbacks can be so intense that a person feels as if they are reliving the incident of sexual violence. Intrusive thoughts can include flashbacks of the event, upsetting dreams, or unwanted memories. Intrusive thoughts are common among people living with PTSD from sexual trauma. Below are five sexual trauma symptoms that may appear in survivors. Part of understanding sexual trauma meaning is learning about its signs. Sexual trauma can result from child sexual abuse or after an unwelcome sexual advance or forced sexual contact as an adult.Īfter surviving sexual assault, a person may develop signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), so this disorder can be a part of the sexual trauma definition. The term “sexual trauma” refers to the physical and psychological side effects that happen after a person is a victim of sexual assault or sexual abuse. Sexual trauma, in particular, can impact future romantic relationships, especially if it is not healed.īelow, learn about signs of sexual trauma, as well as the ways that sexual trauma recovery can benefit your relationships. There are a number of things that affect how we view relationships, including our own experiences with romance and the dynamics we observed from our parents and caregivers when we were children.Īnother factor that can affect our relationships is our experience of trauma.

Signs of past sexual trauma