Sexual Trauma Case Study

The guilt laid upon a woman by male leadership often leaves women in scary, sickening marriages/relationships. One of the greatest acts of courage for an abuse victim to take is that of following Jesus and not the voices surrounding her. More often than not, the voices in this world are the only voices an abuse victim can hear. She has spent years being verbally beaten making it almost impossible to hear that still small voice of Jesus calling to her heart. The voices of the world are loud, demanding and make it difficult to identify the love of Jesus surrounding her.

The counselor met his counselor to discuss the assignment that was given last week, addressing the issue of having a family that is dysfunctional and manipulative. Client reported that he having a difficult time dealing with mother because of her manipulative behavior is causing him emotional turmoil. Client turn in his assignment in regarding the effects to trauma: estrangement from family. The client is holding on the pain of events, that is making it hard for the client to prove his decision making skills. Client at the time appeared worried about things he has not control over. Counselor will continue to meet with the client to assist the client in working through this issues. CADC 1 Yolanda Smith

Great post! Sexual trauma can be extremely hard to overcome. It is vital for a sexual trauma survivor to regain a sense of wellness after the traumatic experience. It is essential to help them see interactions including sexual interactions as a way to construct healthy relationships with others. Moreover, victims of sexual trauma lose trust and therefore, they could feel uncomfortable speaking to others about their personal experience.

The relationship between and therapist and patient must be the foundation of any treatment. However, in Laurel’s case, it can be difficult to build a relationship given the damage her attacker has done to her. “Sympathy and good intentions alone are not sufficient substitute for clinical understanding and effective intervention in treatment of survivors of rape” (Olio & Cornell, 1989). However, it is suggested that kindness and respect are just as important to facilitate in the development of relationship. Not all patients are ready to confront their traumas as soon as they arrive at the decision to consult with a professional.

Your introduction is very engaging and emphasizes the important role of communication after experiencing trauma. I believe your topic is very relatable because there is a sense of denial, seclusion, and dissociation that correlates with trauma and loss that many of us have experienced. Open communication within a family unit provides opportunities to express thoughts and feelings and develop appropriate coping strategies (Zambianchi & Bitti, 2014). In your intro you stated, "The impact childhood trauma has on our society and on children." As a suggestion, maybe you could expand on this statement or state specific impacts childhood trauma has on our society or on children. I love your examples of evidenced based interventions and how

Going through such trauma has such an impact on your life. And when it’s hard enough to have normal relationships you trust, it’s even more difficult to develop romantic relationships no matter what age you are and no matter how much time has passed since the incident. There are ways for victims to get through the trauma. They must first understand a that the negative feelings they are experiencing are symptoms of sexual trauma, not reality. That the attacker is who to blame.

Sexual trauma during military service—known as military sexual trauma (MST)—includes experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault, and has been a persistent problem in the U.S. military. The most recent anonymous survey among active duty (AD) service members found that 4.9% of women and 1.0% of men reported being sexually assaulted in 2014 (Morral et al., 2015). Another recent military survey found that nearly 22% of female and 3% of male service members have experienced unwanted sexual contact since joining the military. Rates of military sexual assault (MSA) among veterans have ranged from 3%–54% of women and up to 3% of men, in both community samples and among those seeking care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many individual

The brain is the command center for the body’s nervous system. The cerebrum makes up 85% of the brain’s weight, and has 86 billion nerve cells (called neurons) and billions of nerve fibers (called axons and dendrites). The neurons are known as the gray matter of the brain and the axons and dendrites are known as the white matter of the brain (Tanya Lewis, 2015). The brain is divided into two hemispheres; the left and the right hemisphere. The left hemisphere is responsible for words, logic, numbers, analysis, lists, linearity, and sequence. It also controls the right side of the body. The right hemisphere is responsible for creativity; color, imagination, daydreaming, holistic awareness, dimension, and it controls the left side of the body (Boundless.com, 2015). Severe trauma to a part or all both of these hemispheres can possibly result in a coma. A prolonged coma longer than a year transitions to a vegetative state. A vegetative state longer than 3 months can lead to death. In the event the patient becomes brain dead they are unable to make autonomous decisions for themselves.

Grant (2011) implies that empirical research shows that gender and trauma specific treatments are effective in minimizing a variety of trauma related issues such as PTSD, depression, anxiety that may result into the individual using substances as a coping mechanism (pp. 3-4). According to the journal there are several best practice evidence-based approaches that can be implemented in treating the client with trauma who abuses AOD (p4). For instance, seeking -safety is used as an intervention in treating individuals with PTSD and substance abuse disorders. This therapy is a primary therapeutic approach at BWOM that teaches clients who are struggling with a history of trauma, how to build safety strategies to protect themselves from unhealthy

Effective communication skills are important in everyday life, from home to work and even social outings. Working with trauma patients it is vital to have effective communication skills. In particular those healing from child sexual abuse, sexual violence and domestic abuse (Sanderson, 2013). The American Psychological Association (2015) defines trauma as and ‘emotional response to a terrible event such as rape...reactions include; flashbacks, nausea, unpredictable emotions, strained relationships and headaches’. This research essay will examine how verbal encouragers, active listening and providing a sense safety are all skills that are important to a Sexual Assault Worker and why they are imperative. As well as aiming to understand

This week’s reading on the various effects that a survivor of sexual assault endures once in their life left me with a heavy heart. It is upsetting to know how frequently these cases can occur on a daily basis, but it great to know that there are resources out there to help survivors. I feel that if more individuals understood the various ways a survivor may react to sexual assault; it would help to eliminate the idea that someone is being “too dramatic” or “overly exaggerative”. The effect that sexual assault has on the survivor can greatly impact them in their daily tasks, often preventing them from seeking assistance or informing their friends and family on the situation. Fortunately, there are a wide range of resources

For instance, the article explains how situations like this can do damage to the victim and the covictims. An example in the article that states how their intimate partner would be hurt by this situation as follows: “Husbands and the intimate partners of women who have been raped by another man react with anger or suffer from feelings of powerlessness, vulnerability, and guilt.” (Schneider 2001:584). I would assume family, friends, and their intimate partner would give their support and empathy towards the victim because they are not emotionally stable. However, I did not know that it can affect those who are important to them. Another thing that I found interesting is there is an increase on the probability of revictimization for those who have been victimized before. Although this is hard to believe, it is unfortunate that they have to re-experience those events with another

When I was younger, I didn’t know much of what was going on in my family let alone other families around me, but as I get older and continue to learn and observe, it’s become clear to me that most families suffer through the same abuse and trauma. In my family, my cousin and sister have both been molested by a family member. Childhood sexual abuse is so prominent that it could be on both sides of the family running strong down the gene pool; although, they were sexually abused on my mother’s side. “The trauma that results from sexual abuse is a syndrome that affects not just the victim and their family, but all of our society. Because sexual abuse, molestation and rape are such shame-filled concepts, our culture tends to suppress information about them,” (Babbel, 2013, p. 1). Consequently, secrets started coming out when I was, approximately, 19 years old. I found out my sister and cousin was molested by the same uncle, which happens to be my mom’s deceased brother. I chose those two as examples because, based off of observation, I can see that they have trouble with adult romantic relationships. However, ultimately, it’s up to the individual person’s perception and how their brain defines the

Thus, many of child predators are never brought to justice. The wounds of trauma are deep, and leave a lasting impression on the child. As a social worker, I believe that I could provide comfort to victims of childhood sexual assault. Stress and trauma continue long into adulthood, the traumatic event does not truly disappear, instead victims of childhood sexual assault are left to cope on their own. My experience with victims of violent rape, and early childhood incest (by a family member) and childhood sexual assault by a stranger—the wounds do not heal. An approach that has proven successful in assisting individuals (children and adults), is mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Mindfulness is something that can be implemented by individuals of every age. Cognitive behavioral therapy is another approach that has proven successful in the healing process. I connect well with children who are reluctant to disclose information, I recognize the need for report building, and the importance of trust and security. It is my goal to help children realize that though they may be powerless over their environmental circumstances, they do have support, and can learn to coping skills that would greatly improve their quality of

In closing, it is amazing how traumatic experiences impact the brain and behavior of an individual. In my client’s situation, abuse and trauma were primary issues in her early development. I felt her traumatic experience and bullying caused her to have low self-esteem. She expressed that it was hard for her to form positive relationships with the opposite sex. Change does not happen overnight and it based upon the willingness and motivation of the client. I find that instead of placing judgment on teens, adults should educate their self about this population and find ways to understand their experiences and work together to develop solutions. Clients look to clinicians for emotional dependency and nurturance that was missing in their life.