Rapists - Effects

Effects

For more details on this topic, see Effects and aftermath of rape.

Victims of rape can be severely traumatized by the assault and may have difficulty functioning as well as they had been used to prior to the assault, with disruption of concentration, sleeping patterns and eating habits, for example. They may feel jumpy or be on edge. After being raped, it is common for the victim to experience acute stress disorder, including symptoms similar to those of posttraumatic stress disorder, such as intense, sometimes unpredictable emotions, and they may find it hard to deal with their memories of the event. In the months immediately following the assault, these problems may be severe and upsetting and may prevent the victim from revealing their ordeal to friends or family, or seeking police or medical assistance. Additional symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder include:

• Depersonalization or dissociation (feeling numb and detached, like being in a daze or a dream, or feeling that the world is strange and unreal)
• Difficulty remembering important parts of the assault
• Reliving the assault through repeated thoughts, memories, or nightmares
• Avoidance of things, places, thoughts, and/or feelings that remind the victim of the assault
• Anxiety or increased alertness (difficulty sleeping, concentrating, etc.)
• Avoidance of social life or place of rape
• Pregnancy

For one-third to one-half of the victims, these symptoms continue beyond the first few months and meet the conditions for the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder. In general, rape and sexual assault are among the most common causes of PTSD in women.