It can happen whether the event was hours-long or barely a minute. RTS can occur whether you knew your assailant as an acquaintance, if they were a loved one, or if they were a complete stranger. You can experience RTS if you were the victim of sexual assault that does not exactly fit the FBI definition. Victims of sexual assault might experience RTS even if they were assaulted in a way different from the exact definition of rape, which, by law, must involve penetration.įor example, under the umbrella of sexual assault, RAINN considers the following actions to be sexual assault, and you may experience RTS after these events: RTS is a specific form of PTSD, with a particular set of behaviors and psychological impacts caused by sexual assault. Rationalization or denying of the event.These are the most known exhibited symptoms of RTS: For example, in the case of sexual assault, there are a set of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that occur in the days, weeks, and months following the traumatic event. There is no single human response to any occurrence, but RTS clarifies that there are common patterns. Unfortunately, this phase is indefinite, and some people may experience a relapse into one of the two previous stages. They may never forgive their assailant or feel entirely comfortable sexually again, but they make a concerted effort to move forward with their life regardless. The third and final stage of RTS is when the victim has come to terms with the fact that the sexual assault occurred and does their best to move on from it. Regardless of the coping technique, people moving through this phase are often still incredibly traumatized. People in this stage may try to rationalize or justify the assault, act like it wasn’t a big deal, refuse to discuss it, or engage in extreme activities like moving away or changing relationships. During this stage, which can last anywhere from weeks to months, or even longer, the sexual assault victim does not appear to be as traumatized and shaken as they were during the acute phase that immediately followed the assault.Įven though a person may appear to be OK and moving on with life, this second phase of RTS makes clear that quite often, that appearance is not true. Shocked Disbelief: The victim is disoriented and may have a hard time recollecting their attackĪfter the initial, or acute phase, the next linear stage of RTS is the Outward Adjustment stage.Controlled: Rather than outwardly upset, they are in shock and behaving as if everything is OK.Expressed: The victim is outwardly upset and emotional.The Rape Abuse and Incest National Network says that victims fall into one of three categories during this stage. The acute stage of RTS occurs in the moments, days, and weeks after sexual assault. RTS is generally broken down into three stages, based on the physical occurrence of the sexual assault. Read on to learn more about RTS, its stages, and causes. The term rape trauma syndrome was coined by nurse Anna Wolbert Burgess and sociologist Lynda Lytle Holmstrom in 1974. Victims of sexual assault may experience one, some, or all of RTS symptoms, and they may experience them for months or years after the rape or assault. While it is considered more of an emotional and psychological condition than it is a physical one, Rape trauma is regarded as a syndrome because there are standard and consistent behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that occur consistently in victims of sexual assault. RTS is most commonly associated with rape, but other forms of sexual assault, such as attempted rape, can also lead to RTS. It is the specific version of PTSD that occurs after sexual assault. Rape trauma syndrome (RTS) is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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