Pathways

It can be confusing in the aftermath to understand why this has happened to you – remember the only confusing thing should be why anyone would do this to somebody else.

You may feel rage, bitterness and hatred towards the person who did this to you and feel hatred towards anyone who shares their characteristics – it’s completely okay to feel angry but think about ways that you could displace that anger, such as talking to somebody or doing some physical activity e.g. going for a walk.

Sexual assault can be truly frightening and the sense of danger can be enormous. It can throw into the air every preconception you ever had about feeling safe and in control. You may be terrified that it will happen again but utterly helpless to stop a future incident. There is however support to help you manage these feelings and help you feel safe both in the short and longer term.  

You may change your behaviour as a way to keep safe and avoid a repeat incident. For example, you may come to University less, disengage with social media or stop doing certain activities altogether. The experience may also impact on your relationships - you may cut yourself off from close friends and family because you don’t feel like you can trust them and you may find it harder to maintain friendships. You may become more withdrawn, and, as a consequence, lose self-confidence and become increasingly isolated. This is why it’s really important that you reach out to somebody to help get the support you deserve and stop this cycle.

You might find it hard to switch off from the idea of being a target of sexual violence. Feeling anxious all of the time, you might find it hard to concentrate or think. Anxiety might be accompanied, for example, by depression, sleep disturbances, alcohol/drug abuse, eating disorders or suicidal thoughts. Speak to a professional about the support available for you to manage anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.