Blog

Relationships after Sexual Violence

Experiences of sexual violence can cause significant trauma as well as short and long-term physical, emotional and sexual wellbeing issues. It can be a significant experience which can alter your view of the world, making it difficult to trust others, including yourself, or relate to people in the way you used to. Your confidence and self-esteem may have been impacted by your experience, and it can make you feel uncomfortable with any form of physical or emotional contact. You may find your relationships with other people, including your friends, intimate partner, children and wider family, have also been impacted by your experience. You may wish to withdraw yourself from social situations, isolate yourself from those who care about you or struggle to form new connections with others. Experiences of sexual violence can also affect how you feel about sex and intimacy. This does not mean you are damaged or broken, it means your brain and body have been impacted by significant trauma, and all these impacts are both normal and common responses to an experience of sexual violence.