sexual assault

Article
  • Caitlyn Tivy PT, DPT, OCS

This article -- part two of a four part series on the physical effects of sexual trauma -- focuses on treatment options for pelvic effects that survivors may experience. For survivors struggling with pelvic symptoms, pelvic physical therapy can be an invaluable component of a recovery journey.

Article
  • Molly Brooker-Corcoran

Facing up to my rape, and learning to heal from it, forced me to investigate my sexuality seriously, and for the first time. That is not to say I am glad it happened. I am not. I think I would have gotten there eventually, but how I lived with my assault definitely shifted my perspective.

Article
  • Madi Morelli

Sexual assault and abuse can take so many forms that some people don’t recognize right away or ever. I didn’t initially recognize it. The most simple legal definition of sexual assault is “forcing a victim to participate in sexual acts,” but this definition isn’t always helpful when you’re trying to figure out if you’ve been assaulted. It's so much more complicated and unique than a one-sentence definition.

Article
  • E. M.

The term itself is insufficient and sounds oddly trivial. The word ‘stealth’ has various associations in the Oxford English Dictionary (2020), including ‘secretly and without right or permission’, ‘clandestinely’, ‘furtive’. A stealth action happens quickly and slyly, like the swiping of an appetising sweet by a small child before their parent sees. But stealthing does not just happen surreptitiously, swiftly, or without the total awareness of the victim.

Article
  • Christina Elia

When my assault happened, I was stunted in my sexual exploration, and I had no choice but to start anew. I’ve learned it will always be an ongoing battle for me, but a possible feat. Scarleteen readers confronting a comparable situation should know there’s hope for you too. Reclaiming our right to pleasure combats apathy by demonstrating our capacity to enjoy again. While we can’t reverse rape, recovery begins when we remember we have alternatives.

Article
  • Robyn Swirling

What is sexual harassment likely to look like in your life, or the lives of your friends? And what can you actually do about it, whether you’re the target of it, trying to avoid harming people yourself, or you’re the friend of someone who’s being harassed at work?

Advice
  • Siân Jones

Reclaiming your sexuality after sexual abuse can be complicated. Your previous partner has left you with a whole mess of shame and trauma. None of this is your fault, he is the one who chose to hurt and manipulate you, I’m sorry that you had to go through that and are now facing the work of picking...

Article
  • Al Washburn

Why are certain types of touch so important to our relationships? How does culture and identity affect how we think about touch as a form of social communication?

Advice
  • Mo Ranyart

Why is it that scenes of rape and other sexual violence in media can be so upsetting to some people and not others? Are there ways to be less impacted by these scenes, or avoid them altogether?

Article
  • s.e. smith
  • Sam Wall

We’ve assembled a guide with some common issues that come up, and how to deal with them, in very broad terms. If you’re having difficulties, know that there are people out there who are ready and willing to help you, and often they’re a quick Google search away: if you’re struggling, you’re not alone, and you should reach out.