Support Group | Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Center

How to Help Your Abused Friend

August 15, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

There are many forms of abuse. Physical abuse is easily discernible. Verbal and emotional abuse are much more rampant, and more difficult to deal with because the scars are on the inside. Helping a friend through the process of accepting they have been abused and helping them heal takes patience, listening, and loving unconditionally.

First, your friend has to tell her story in her own way. Many times the abuse has gone on so long, and been so devastating that to protect herself she talks around it. Be ready to listen to the story several times. As she tells it and sees you are not upset, she will begin to tell more of what happened and how she feels.

Once trust is established, you can begin to talk about getting some help. Help can be in the form of a support group, counselor, or maybe someone who has been through something similar and recovered. Professional help can be sought by searching a site such as canada 411. It is important to note that your friend will not get better right away, but will ebb and flow through recovering, remembering, and withdrawing. This is part of the process.

Your friend will need you to create a positive environment. Doing kind things, reminding her what her gifts are and how you like them, and standing by her when she has to deal with an issue or let something out is giving her the support she needs to recover. Often, after a counselor visit your friend will need you. Sometimes after releasing some of the poison, your friend will feel unsettled as past thoughts and overwhelming emotions come up. Having a catch phrase such as, “It’s okay,” to say after an event releases the tension.

Filed Under: Drug Treatment, General Tagged With: Child abuse, Health, Support group

Healing After Dealing With Sexual Abuse As A Child

March 9, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

More people are finding that it’s hard dealing with the horrific fact that they were sexually abused as a child. There are aftereffects for anyone who experience abuse.

Most of the time as a child you’re repressing those horrible memories and you’ve been able to forget about it until you’re an adult. There are people who as adults remember vividly the sexual abuse they experience when they were a kid. Healing after dealing with sexual abuse as a child can be difficult for many people, but it’s something that in time will happen. As a child, you’re unable to fully understand what’s going on let alone know how to heal.

The first step in the healing process would be to admit that it happened and that it was a serious crime and you were horribly violated. Anyone who has experience any kind of abuse usually suffers from low self-esteem, which was caused from the abuser.

Going to a support group or therapist could help the healing process since talking about horrific events could help. A therapist will be there with you so you’re able to deal with the emotional pain and effects of being sexual abused when you were a kid. Keeping things built up inside is only going to make things worse.

There are more than just focus groups you can attend; you have the option to be part of a program that’s a 12-step that’s for survivors of sexual abuse. There are many groups that hospitals and clinics are offering to those who were victims of sexual abuse as a child.

Some professionals have even said that writing in a journal is a great way for a victim to start their healing process. Sometimes people can’t share their thoughts out loud and writing about it could help. Another option would be to write multiple letters to your abusers. These letters won’t be mailed, it’s another way to speak your mind and be open and honest about how you’re feeling.

These are things that you can do when you’re trying to move on from being sexual abused.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Child abuse, Sexual abuse, Support group

Domestic Violence Support Groups

October 18, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

If you are a victim of domestic violence, you may find it beneficial to go to a support group. At a support group, you can share your experience, as well as listen to what other people are going through.

When going to a support group for domestic violence victims, the location of the meetings are often private or may change frequently. That way, if there is a problem with an outsider, the group can still meet in a different location in order to avoid any abuse problems.

A Nashville drug treatment center has similar support groups, where each person goes around telling his or her story to the others. Often, victims need to share their experiences and get advice on what to do. They may need an outlet to talk about their situation, and a support group is the right place for this.

The leader of the group may give suggestions on what the victim can do. Support groups can also be very therapeutic for individuals, because it lets them know that they aren’t the only ones out there with problems. Support groups offer encouragement and hope for the future. If you are having a problem, you can discuss it with your group, and they can let you know whom you can contact to get help.

Support groups can be a safe place for someone who has a stalker. For some groups, you can remain anonymous about your exact situation but still find out plenty of information to help with your problem. While other members talk about their experiences, you don’t have to. You can sit and listen. When you feel comfortable, you can share your story with the group.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, make sure you get the help that you need. While family and friends may help, a support group may have more information.

Filed Under: Dating, Disabilities, Domestic Abuse, Drug Treatment Tagged With: Agencies, Barack Obama, Domestic violence, People, Support group, Violence and Abuse, White House, Women

The Effects of Rape

September 26, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The effects of rape are a twisted weave of physical and emotional horror. Many people do not comprehend that physical force is not always present, yet it can still be rape. There are some who intend to rape and then commit murder. The reality is that the victim lives and looks as usual on the exterior. Unfortunately, the majority feel dead on the inside because of the trauma. It is something that remains a detailed memory no matter how hard you try to put it out of your mind. In fact most keep reliving it because the are in such disbelief that it actually happened.

Most people will suggest counseling for many emotional issues. As a victim of rape, it is overwhelming to talk about, especially to a stranger. Once you begin healing physical, you can gather up the strength to work on recovering emotionally. Sometimes the ones who should be your support system are the ones who may not believe you or become impatient with your reactions. If you have little physical wounds, they may down play your experience and even give you a hard time for changing your personality. They may even begin to treat you differently.

You must persevere, however. It could take a few months or many years to heal. It is important to begin your processing as soon as possible. You may be stubborn because you are thinking that there is no way you can erase this horrible image and some days you feel that you can never scrub hard enough to wash all of the slime off of you. How fortunate that we have theInternet to go to at any hour of the day or night. When you are feeling disoriented or having a flash back, you can remain anonymous if you like and find a kind word and a support group immediately.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Crime, Rape, Rape Victims, Sex Offenses, Sexual assault, Support group, United States, Victims

A Safe Place to Heal

September 19, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

To help a rape victim deal with and reduce the number of flashbacks, the therapist often uses a technique called prolonged exposure. This is basically the process of confrontation in a controlled environment. The rape victim learns to trust that they are in a safe place and begins the journey of opening up the memory of the trauma in order to heal. This should also decrease any panic attacks the victim may have been experiencing. The victims are trained to cope with their own reactions as they repeat similar situations during therapy.

Developing the necessary coping skills is a key element since the healing process uncovers many layers of the abuse and high lights many unhealthy choices. For example, substance abuse could most likely be another issue needing to be dealt with in order for the victim to heal. If the parties involved have been self medicating with drugs in order to dull the emotional pain and distorting their reality, the treatment for healing will be lengthy.

It is good for the victim to have resources available and understand that rape is not really about the sex, it is the person’s frustration with power and control issues. A good support group can help the victim get back to normal sooner. They can help by including her in activities and give a little extra strength when she appears to feel a bit unraveled. They will be the ones to encourage the victim to seek out help. Rape is aggressive and degrading. A victim should not be made to feel intimidated after the assault by a group of family members that she can not trust and that do not support her.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Crime, Psychological trauma, Rape, Rape Victims, Sexual abuse, Support group, Therapy, Victims

Trouble Adjusting to Grief

September 11, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

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Many of us are stubborn and do not deal with change so well. We can adjust quickly if the change is for the good. If something has happened suddenly and is not good news, many have trouble adjusting and some never do. Being abused falls into that category. The victim is inclined to isolate himself and frequently everyone around them avoids socializing. Every one feels awkward so they ignore the person instead. In a way it is the death of the life the way they all knew it to be. Each individual is feeling a sense of loss and will show signs of grief.

Grief can be difficult to process, especially if the people involved are showing signs of denial and avoid confrontation. The emotions and the healing need to be processed in order to lift out of the sadness and depression. This is why a grief counselor is usually called in as soon as it is known. Many times the people that are the closest are the ones feeling the most immobile and incapable of responding. Some one trained can help with the release of emotions and help to led the way for healing.

Many times people will not want to discuss or talk about the trauma and feel such and intense sorrow that the only way they know out of it becomes a life long addiction to prescription drugs or alcohol. This is what the counselor wants to avoid. It is good to be aware of the importance of a good counselor so that if the time ever comes and some one is in need, they will get the help that everyone deserves. A strong support group is the foundation for healing and maintaining a safe and healthy space.

Filed Under: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse Tagged With: Death, Depression, Emotion, Grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, Health, Mental health, Support group