During Mental Health Awareness Month, We’re Highlighting How PTSD Impacts Survivors

When it comes to pop culture portrayals of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), narratives are often limited to veterans and male survivors of violence—this representation, however, doesn’t match reality. According to RAINN, 94% of women who’ve survived rape experience symptoms of PTSD during the two weeks following the assault, while 30% report symptoms of PTSD nine months after. 

Of course, women are not the only group affected by sexual harm, but these numbers suggest that PTSD is pervasive when it comes to survivorship and healing, so it’s critical that we understand what it looks like and how to manage treatment. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and CAASE teamed up with our ally, Resilience, to unpack PTSD’s impact. 

“With PTSD, I like to ask how society portrays PTSD and why it’s reserved to vets and men instead of sexual trauma,” says LeChae Mottley, a trauma therapist with Resilience. She believes that these depictions erase the fact that minority groups are more likely to grapple with PTSD. It ignores the covert and overt factors that can contribute to mental suffering—poverty, racism, homophobia, housing insecurity—the very things that put certain populations at higher risk for sexual trauma. 

“Oppression discourages folks from seeking treatment,” Mottley continued. “Everyone deserves to be affirmed, but there is a lack of cultural humility in care providers. Does the service provider feel compassion for what you’re bringing to the table? Then, you factor in issues of accessibility like price…the more marginalized you are, the more likely you are to face obstacles.”

According to Mottley, PTSD shows up both physically and mentally. 

“Patients reexperience their trauma through dreams, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts; they often suffer from social withdrawal and loss of connection,” she said. They’re also inclined to become hypervigilant, as the nervous system is constantly activated. 

Physically, survivors with PTSD can struggle with panic attacks and gastrointestinal issues, along with an increased risk of autoimmune, respiratory, and heart diseases. It’s no surprise that oppressive systems further aggravate these conditions and push survivors into cycles of poor health. 

“I hope we continue having these conversations about mental health while also acknowledging how PTSD is complicated by other things. Diagnoses, however, can help folks find treatment,” Mottley explained. “We never want people to feel like their symptoms are less serious because of their identities. Trauma is what is considered traumatic to the individual.”

If you’re looking for more information or treatment for PTSD following sexual assault, please consider the following resources: 

• Resilience: A Chicago-based nonprofit that offers a variety of therapy services for survivors, including crisis intervention counseling. To be added to their trauma therapy waitlist, call 312-443-9603 or reach out through their website. 
• NSVRC Friends and Family Guide: The National Sexual Violence Resource Center offers guides for survivors, but community members should also be aware of how to support their healing. 
• NSVRC Directory of Organizations: The organization also offers a thorough, searchable database for survivors to find local resources. 

Symptoms of PTSD After a Sexual Assault: While this article certainly doesn’t replace a professional evaluation, it could be a good explainer for folks who’ve just started their path to healing.

This piece was published on June, 2 2021. It was authored by KT Hawbaker and edited by Hayley Forrestal with input from Resilience. Learn more about CAASE’s staff here.