One can be left traumatized by sexual assault, and as a result, it may make one lose their self-esteem, sense of safety and own sexuality. This can be challenging to regain your body or even sexual identity due to the pain and confusion that follow. Never mind; it is worth remembering that recovery is possible, and this step is just fantastic in the healing process. For people on this path, this blog post delves into what happens when someone tries to take back control of their sex life after being sexually assaulted and provides suggestions, Support and hope.
Understanding Sexuality After Sexual Assault
Sexual assault might lead to deep emotional wounds, which affect how you relate to your body as well as your sexuality. Among them are fear, guilt, shame or anger. These emotions do not only make you uncomfortable in your skin but also in intimate settings.
Common Sexual Effects of Rape
Loss of trust: Difficulty trusting others, especially when intimacy is involved.
Disconnection from your body: Feeling detached or disconnected from one's own body.
Fear of intimacy: Anxiety or fear surrounding sexual activity or closeness.
Negative body image: A distorted or pessimistic view of your physical appearance.
Triggers: Certain situations, touches, or words can trigger flashbacks or intense emotional reactions.
It is of great importance to appreciate these reactions as usual.
One must keep in mind that all of these reactions are actually considered normal, especially after a traumatic event. You are free to heal as slowly or as quickly as you'd like, and your emotions are completely justified.
The Actions of Regaining One's Sexuality
Taking back one's sexuality is not an easy process that can be mastered in a day; it must be gradual, use a lot of patience and, most importantly, self-acceptance. Here are some steps to help guide you through this process: Here are some steps to help guide you through this process:
1. Seek Support
It is important to note that healing from sexual assault is possible, and you do not need to do it alone. You are helping others, including, without limitation, contacting fellow friends or family members who you trust and a trauma therapist. Another form is support groups, where one can discuss issues related to the problem with others going through the same experience.
2. Reconnect with Your Body
That sense of dissociation, where you don't feel your body as clearly as you used to, is quite normal after an assault. This means that being fully body-conscious is a very important aspect of regaining your sex life. You want to begin with small and slow movements that help you feel connected to your body. Thus, going for yoga, meditation, or dancing may be helpful. The listed practices will assist you in finding the positive changes that are needed to accept the body.
3. Redefine Your Boundaries
Your boundaries belong to you, and they might be different now after being assaulted. Consider whether you are ready for such changes and whether something feels comfortable now. In the last decade, they taught me that it is vital to assert oneself and convey such decisions to others. Recovering sexual power means recovering the right to choose, and that is by no means a small thing.
4. When it comes to sexual self-discovery, 'take your own time' is the best advice to be heeded. You don't have to rush when it comes to sexual activities if you do not wish to do so. That is why it is important not to rush with the discovery of your sexuality and try to do it in ways that inspire confidence. This might be on your own by masturbation, or it might be by just using time to reintroduce herself to her body. Once you feel ready to share the intimacy with someone else, opt for someone who will be patient and understand what you have gone through.
5. Challenge Negative Beliefs
Sexual assault affects the survivor's thoughts about themself, their body or sexuality in a negative manner. Such beliefs may be like hopelessness, feeling emotionally valueless, disgraceful, wrongful or sinful. These thoughts can ring in your mind, and it's good to counteract them with statements of worth and beauty. You must understand that what has happened to you doesn't make you who you are.
6. Practice Self-Compassion
Recovery is not an expectation; it has tough moments of progression and regression throughout. Also, give yourself some compassion when you feel that it is hard to go on; you do not have to be harsh on yourself. It is important to acknowledge the growth that you have made and move on, knowing that healing is a process that does not happen all at once.
Love and sexuality are potent needs in people's desires, which is why reclaiming one's sexuality is empowering.
When a woman or a man decides to get her or his sex life back on track after a sexual assault has been committed, they are regaining their power. It is about regaining control of one's own body, one's libido and, above all, recovering one's self. It is not the path of returning to the way you were before the attack but seeking and accepting the new you.
As you go on, you are also entitled to pleasure, intimacy, and love, so do not forget that. You need to know that you are sensual and sexual being and that getting back this part of you is a healing process.
How Can Reframing You Help?
Reframing You provides a supportive environment for individuals reclaiming their sexuality after experiencing sexual assault by organizing sessions led by experts in trauma recovery and sexual health. These sessions offer a safe space to explore and heal from the impact of sexual assault, with guidance from professionals who specialize in addressing the complex emotions and challenges that arise in the aftermath. Through these expert-led discussions, participants can learn strategies for reconnecting with their bodies, rebuilding trust in themselves and others, and rediscovering a sense of empowerment in their sexuality. Reframing You is dedicated to fostering a compassionate and informed community where healing and reclaiming one's identity are central to the journey.
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