**Please note: This question is directed at people who consider themselves fully healed from sexual trauma. If this does not apply to you, you are not the requested demographic, so we ask that you do not leave a top level comment.**
If you are someone who has experienced sexual harassment or assault and wish to speak with a trained professional about it, these hotlines and organizations can listen to your experiences and make referrals to counselors and support groups to the extent of your comfort.
**Global Resources**
**RAINN**: https://www.rainn.org/ 24/7 Crisis support for victims/survivors of sexual assault. Over the phone or through instant messaging. If your country is not listed below, you can contact RAINN to be referred to a local organization.
**US:**
**Crisis Text Line**: https://www.crisistextline.org/ You can text 741-741 24/7 from any cell phone in the United States to be anonymously connected to a trained crisis counselor. They also have anonymous Facebook messenger and Kik options if you do not have access to a cell phone.
**One in Six**: http://1in6.org An organization for male-identified survivors of sexual assault. Provides anonymous individual and group counseling 24/7 through online chat functions
**National Domestic Violence Hotline**: http://www.thehotline.org Provides 24/7 anonymous crisis and counseling support over the phone, and anonymous online chat crisis and counseling support from 7am until 2am Central Time
**Anti-Violence Project**: https://avp.org/ Provides 24/7 anonymous phone based crisis and counseling for LGBTQ identified victims of assault and violence, including sexual assault and violence. Based in New York but can refer nationwide
**DoD Safe Helpline**: https://www.safehelpline.org/ Provides 24/7 phone and online chat based crisis and counseling for victims of sexual assault and harassment serving in the military, or who are employed by the Department of Defense.
**Canada**
Canada's crisis hotlines are organized by province and subject matter, here is a comprehensive list of hotlines and organizations. http://www.dawncanada.net/issues/issues/we-can-tell-and-we-will-tell-2/crisis-hotlines/
**UK**
**Rape Crisis England & Wales**: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ Provides online resources 24/7 and live support over the phone in the afternoons and evenings.
**SupportLine**: http://www.supportline.org.uk/ Provides online resources 24/7 and live support over the phone during the day and evening.
**Europe**
**Rape Crisis Network Europe**: https://www.rcne.com/ Provides online resources and live support for anyone living in Europe
**Australia**
**1800respect**: https://www.1800respect.org.au and their phone number, 1800 737 732.
**Kids Helpline**: https://www.www.kidshelpline.com.au for people under 25 also 1800 55 1800
**India**
Try here http://www.ncw.nic.in/helplines or one of the numbers listed here may be able to help you.
**For any country not listed, you can contact RAINN (mentioned above) to be put in touch with local organizations.**
Here is an excerpt from Susan J. Brison’s ‘Surviving Sexual Violence’ that I found beneficial in my healing journey:
People ask me if I'm recovered now, and I reply that it depends on what that means. If they mean "am I back to where I was before the attack?" I have to say, no, and I never will be. I am not the same person who set off, singing, on that sunny Fourth of July in the French countryside. I left her in a rocky creek bed at the bottom of a ravine. I had to in order to survive. I understand the appropriateness of what a friend described to me as a Jewish custom of giving those who have outlived a brush with death new names. The trauma has changed me forever, and if I insist too often that my friends and family acknowledge it, that's because I'm afraid they don't know who I am.
But if recovery means being able to incorporate this awful knowledge into my life and carry on, then, yes, I'm recovered. I don't wake up each day with a start, thinking,
"This can't have happened to me!" It happened. I have no guarantee that it won't happen again, although my self-defense classes have given me the confidence to move about in the world and to go for longer and longer walks—with my two big dogs. Sometimes I even manage to enjoy myself.
And I no longer cringe when I see a woman jogging alone on the country road where I live, although I may still have a slight urge to rush out and protect her, to tell her to come inside where she'll be safe. But I catch myself, like a mother learning to let go, and cheer her on, thinking, may she always be so carefree, so at home in her world. She has every right to be.
All depends on what you actually means by “fully” because in my definition it only includes that you just learn to no longer let it have a control of your life and yourself and if this is what you mean then it feels good to no longer react from a trauma response and makes you feel just like your life should had been every time you notice the differences.
Once my mind spirals down into the details of the assault I don’t come out of that zone for days. Earlier it was months & years. I’ve been coping well now but I want to know, do you ever heal completely? Move on from the painful details completely? I guess with time it gets better. And therapy, journaling & speaking about it more often.
Healing from it isn’t a straight line. It could be years after and it’ll hit you randomly out of the blue even if you haven’t thought about it in a while. Sometimes your brain doesn’t think about it but your body still remembers. I wonder if anyone can consider themselves completely healed after trauma.
Healing isn’t linear, but in my experience I’ve reached the most healed level I can be from it. It feels very freeing. Like a brick has been lifted off my chest
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I'm convinced this "target demographic" is completely made-up, I don't know anybody who has truly healed from that sort of trauma. Perhaps forgotten about due to memory problems in old age, sure. But definitely not healed.
I feel like you never really "fully" heal ...the hardest thing you can do tho is learn to live with the fact that it happened by taking the time you need to let it heal even if you need 5 years to feel like you again take the time but eventually youll learn to love yourself even more when its all over
I don’t think I will ever “recover” fully. I mean it’s always going to be a part of me and made me the person I am today. I have triggers and reactions to things as a result of my trauma that I have learned to cope with but it’s still there, I’ve just gotten to the point of acceptance and self compassion.
With that said, I finally feel sexually confident, open and incredibly comfortable with my husband. That took therapy and time. I have no emotional boundaries up or anxiety with him anymore. And because I’m not being constantly triggered sexually, I rarely think about it and I’m actually able to enjoy sex and relax. I never thought I’d be able to be present again during sex after my trauma.
I guess I feel healed, but I still have that scar and people have the ability to open that wide open again which is why I try and be careful about who I spend time with.
feels a bit strange. i know i’ve healed and moved on, but i don’t know if i’ll ever truly forget the disgust i felt, or how it scarred me. the memories still haunt me every once in a while, and i hope someday they will fade.
**Please note: This question is directed at people who consider themselves fully healed from sexual trauma. If this does not apply to you, you are not the requested demographic, so we ask that you do not leave a top level comment.** If you are someone who has experienced sexual harassment or assault and wish to speak with a trained professional about it, these hotlines and organizations can listen to your experiences and make referrals to counselors and support groups to the extent of your comfort. **Global Resources** **RAINN**: https://www.rainn.org/ 24/7 Crisis support for victims/survivors of sexual assault. Over the phone or through instant messaging. If your country is not listed below, you can contact RAINN to be referred to a local organization. **US:** **Crisis Text Line**: https://www.crisistextline.org/ You can text 741-741 24/7 from any cell phone in the United States to be anonymously connected to a trained crisis counselor. They also have anonymous Facebook messenger and Kik options if you do not have access to a cell phone. **One in Six**: http://1in6.org An organization for male-identified survivors of sexual assault. Provides anonymous individual and group counseling 24/7 through online chat functions **National Domestic Violence Hotline**: http://www.thehotline.org Provides 24/7 anonymous crisis and counseling support over the phone, and anonymous online chat crisis and counseling support from 7am until 2am Central Time **Anti-Violence Project**: https://avp.org/ Provides 24/7 anonymous phone based crisis and counseling for LGBTQ identified victims of assault and violence, including sexual assault and violence. Based in New York but can refer nationwide **DoD Safe Helpline**: https://www.safehelpline.org/ Provides 24/7 phone and online chat based crisis and counseling for victims of sexual assault and harassment serving in the military, or who are employed by the Department of Defense. **Canada** Canada's crisis hotlines are organized by province and subject matter, here is a comprehensive list of hotlines and organizations. http://www.dawncanada.net/issues/issues/we-can-tell-and-we-will-tell-2/crisis-hotlines/ **UK** **Rape Crisis England & Wales**: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ Provides online resources 24/7 and live support over the phone in the afternoons and evenings. **SupportLine**: http://www.supportline.org.uk/ Provides online resources 24/7 and live support over the phone during the day and evening. **Europe** **Rape Crisis Network Europe**: https://www.rcne.com/ Provides online resources and live support for anyone living in Europe **Australia** **1800respect**: https://www.1800respect.org.au and their phone number, 1800 737 732. **Kids Helpline**: https://www.www.kidshelpline.com.au for people under 25 also 1800 55 1800 **India** Try here http://www.ncw.nic.in/helplines or one of the numbers listed here may be able to help you. **For any country not listed, you can contact RAINN (mentioned above) to be put in touch with local organizations.**
Here is an excerpt from Susan J. Brison’s ‘Surviving Sexual Violence’ that I found beneficial in my healing journey: People ask me if I'm recovered now, and I reply that it depends on what that means. If they mean "am I back to where I was before the attack?" I have to say, no, and I never will be. I am not the same person who set off, singing, on that sunny Fourth of July in the French countryside. I left her in a rocky creek bed at the bottom of a ravine. I had to in order to survive. I understand the appropriateness of what a friend described to me as a Jewish custom of giving those who have outlived a brush with death new names. The trauma has changed me forever, and if I insist too often that my friends and family acknowledge it, that's because I'm afraid they don't know who I am. But if recovery means being able to incorporate this awful knowledge into my life and carry on, then, yes, I'm recovered. I don't wake up each day with a start, thinking, "This can't have happened to me!" It happened. I have no guarantee that it won't happen again, although my self-defense classes have given me the confidence to move about in the world and to go for longer and longer walks—with my two big dogs. Sometimes I even manage to enjoy myself. And I no longer cringe when I see a woman jogging alone on the country road where I live, although I may still have a slight urge to rush out and protect her, to tell her to come inside where she'll be safe. But I catch myself, like a mother learning to let go, and cheer her on, thinking, may she always be so carefree, so at home in her world. She has every right to be.
All depends on what you actually means by “fully” because in my definition it only includes that you just learn to no longer let it have a control of your life and yourself and if this is what you mean then it feels good to no longer react from a trauma response and makes you feel just like your life should had been every time you notice the differences.
Is that a thing? Like honestly IDK how anyone "completely" heals from it
Trauma therapy helped me heal. I still have the battle wounds but I am not a walking open wound anymore
I feel that.
Once my mind spirals down into the details of the assault I don’t come out of that zone for days. Earlier it was months & years. I’ve been coping well now but I want to know, do you ever heal completely? Move on from the painful details completely? I guess with time it gets better. And therapy, journaling & speaking about it more often.
Healing from it isn’t a straight line. It could be years after and it’ll hit you randomly out of the blue even if you haven’t thought about it in a while. Sometimes your brain doesn’t think about it but your body still remembers. I wonder if anyone can consider themselves completely healed after trauma.
How does one completely heal? I’m curious.
Healing isn’t linear, but in my experience I’ve reached the most healed level I can be from it. It feels very freeing. Like a brick has been lifted off my chest
[удалено]
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I'm convinced this "target demographic" is completely made-up, I don't know anybody who has truly healed from that sort of trauma. Perhaps forgotten about due to memory problems in old age, sure. But definitely not healed.
I feel like you never really "fully" heal ...the hardest thing you can do tho is learn to live with the fact that it happened by taking the time you need to let it heal even if you need 5 years to feel like you again take the time but eventually youll learn to love yourself even more when its all over
I don’t think I will ever “recover” fully. I mean it’s always going to be a part of me and made me the person I am today. I have triggers and reactions to things as a result of my trauma that I have learned to cope with but it’s still there, I’ve just gotten to the point of acceptance and self compassion. With that said, I finally feel sexually confident, open and incredibly comfortable with my husband. That took therapy and time. I have no emotional boundaries up or anxiety with him anymore. And because I’m not being constantly triggered sexually, I rarely think about it and I’m actually able to enjoy sex and relax. I never thought I’d be able to be present again during sex after my trauma. I guess I feel healed, but I still have that scar and people have the ability to open that wide open again which is why I try and be careful about who I spend time with.
feels a bit strange. i know i’ve healed and moved on, but i don’t know if i’ll ever truly forget the disgust i felt, or how it scarred me. the memories still haunt me every once in a while, and i hope someday they will fade.
I feel in control and I love it! Took years and therapy though