Moscarello R. Psychological management of victims of sexual assault.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 1990;
35:25-30. [PMID:
2180547 DOI:
10.1177/070674379003500104]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Sexual assault, as a crime of violence, induces a life crisis which inflicts major psychological and physiological trauma upon the victim. Lack of mutual consent is present in all sexual assaults. Post-traumatic symptoms occur immediately and for a large percentage of victims this trauma is not integrated for many years. Symptoms include the classic triad of post-traumatic stress symptoms of haunting, intrusive recollections, numbing or constriction of feelings and focus and lowered threshold of anxious arousal subsequent to experiencing intense fear, terror and loss of control. Long term effects include anxiety, depression, phobic reactions to situations reminiscent of the sexual assault, sexual dysfunction, impaired social adjustment and diminished capacity to enjoy life. Post-traumatic stress responses, symptomatology, psychodynamics and management of the victim of recent and nonrecent sexual assault are reviewed.
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