Many people experience physical, psychological and behavioural
problems after suffering a serious trauma like losing someone
they love or being disabled in a car accident. These problems
have been called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This condition
is a normal reaction to abnormal stress. People who have not
previously had a mental illness or psychological problems can
suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Different kinds of traumas can produce different reactions. Take
rape for example: Rape is not just unwanted sex, it is a highly
traumatic experience and like other serious traumas, it has
negative effects on those who survive it. Rape is usually
experienced as life threatening and as an extreme violation of a
person. It is not surprising then, that many rape survivors suffer
from a particular kind of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, known
as Rape Trauma Syndrome:


PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME
... Immediately after a rape, survivors often experience shock: they
are likely to feel cold, faint, become mentally confused
(disoriented), tremble, feel nauseous and sometimes vomit.
Pregnancy.

Gynaecological problems like: irregular, heavier and/or painful
periods, vaginal discharges, bladder infections, sexually
transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhoea and/or AIDS.

Bleeding and/or infections from tears or cuts in the vagina or
rectum, depending on what happened during the rape.

A soreness of the body. There may also be bruising, grazes, cuts
etc, depending on the kind of force used during a rape.

Nausea and/or vomiting.

Throat irritations and/or soreness due to forced MouthAction.

Tension headaches.

Pain in the lower back and/or in the stomach.

Sleep disturbances like: difficulty falling asleep, waking up during
the night, being woken by nightmares about the rape, getting less
sleep than usual; or on the other hand feeling exhausted and
needing to sleep more than usual.
Eating disturbances such as: not feeling like eating, eating less
than usual and so losing weight; or on the other hand eating
more than usual and so putting on weight.


BEHAVIOURAL SYMPTOMS OF RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME
1. Crying more than usual.
2. Difficulty concentrating.
3. Being restless, agitated and unable to relax; or on the other hand
just sitting around and moving very little.
4. Not wanting to go out and/or socialise; or on the other hand
socialising more than usual.
5.Not wanting to be left alone.
6.Stuttering or stammering more than usual.
7. Trying to avoid anything that reminds the survivor of the rape. So
for example, someone who was raped at a party may stop going
to parties. Many rape survivors don't want to talk about what
happened, because it makes them remember the rape.
8. Being more easily frightened or startled than usual. Rape
survivors often get very scared when someone walks up behind
them without warning.
9. Being very alert and watchful.
10. Getting very upset by minor things that didn't worry them before
the rape.
11. Losing interest in things that used to be of interest to them before
the rape.
13. Problems in relationships with people like family, friends, lovers
and spouses. Rape survivors may become irritable and so may
quarrel with others more easily; or they may withdraw from
people with whom they had been close before the rape. They
may also become very dependent on others, or on the other
hand overly independent.
14. Sexual problems like a fear of sex, a loss of interest in sex or a
15. loss of sexual pleasure.
Changes in work or school such as: dropping out of school,
truanting from school, changing jobs, or stopping work altogether.
Moving house.
16. Increased use of substances like alcohol, cigarettes and/or drugs.
A person who didn't use a substance before the rape may start
to use it after a rape.
Increased washing and/or bathing, because of a feeling of being
dirty from the rape.
Acting as if the rape never happened. It is quite common for
rape survivors to try and carry on with their lives as if nothing has
happened, because they don't want to face their feelings about
the rape. This is called denial.


PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME
Intrusive thoughts about the rape that upset the rape survivor.
Intrusive thoughts and feelings about being dirty from
(contaminated by) the rape. These feelings often make rape
survivors wash or bath more frequently. These thoughts are
known as obsessional thoughts.
Flashbacks - the sudden feeling that the rape is happening again,
which makes the survivor very frightened and upset.
Nightmares about the rape.
Being very upset by anything that reminds the survivor of the
rape.
Becoming extremely afraid of certain things that remind the
survivor of the rape. Such extreme fears are called phobias. Rape
survivors often develop extreme fears of men, of strangers, of
being alone, of leaving their homes, of going to school or to
work, and of sex. These phobias are called traumatophobias,
because they are caused by a trauma.
A loss of memory for all or part of the rape, which is called
psychogenic amnesia.
Being unable to feel certain feelings like happiness, or feeling very
'flat'. On the other hand, rape survivors can feel emotionally
confused and have mood swings (quick changes of mood).
Feeling that they will not live for very long and/or feeling very
negative about their future prospects.
Feeling depressed and/or sad, and sometimes having thoughts
of suicide.
Feeling irritable and angry.
Feeling more fearful and anxious than usual. Rape survivors are
often very afraid that their assailant/s will return, that they may be
pregnant or have been infected with a disease from the rape.
Feelings of humiliation and shame.
Feeling different and/or distant from other people.
Feelings of guilt and self-blame about the rape. Rape survivors
often feel that they were somehow responsible for being raped.
Feelings of helplessness and powerlessness.
A loss of self respect and self confidence. Many rape survivors
feel that the rape has made them worth less than other people.
Human beings respond to trauma in different ways. Although
many rape survivors suffer from the symptoms of Rape Trauma
Syndrome, not all survivors respond to rape in the same way -
some rape survivors may have none of these symptoms and
others may suffer only a few. Therefore, if a person experiences
many of the symptoms of Rape Trauma Syndrome, it is highly
likely that s/he has been raped; but if a person claims to have
been raped, yet experiences none of these symptoms, or only a
few, it is not a sign that s/he has not actually been raped.
Because most rape survivors are afraid to tell anyone that they
have been raped, any person who claims to have been raped,
should be treated as if they have been raped.
It is important to treat each rape survivor as an individual and to
try and understand what the rape means to that particular person.
A person's religion, culture, class, race and gender may affect
how they feel about being raped. The impact of a rape may be
worse if the victim is physically or mentally handicapped, if they
were raped by more than one person, or on more than one
occasion; and/or if they were raped by someone they knew.
Coping with being rape may also be more difficult if family,
friends and colleagues are not supportive and/or blame the
survivor.
Rape survivors seem to experience different symptoms of Rape
Trauma Syndrome over time. In the first couple of days
immediately after a rape, a survivor usually experiences a state of
shock. After this shock has passed, some survivors try to act as
if nothing has happened. This is their way of trying to block out
the rape, because they feel that they won't be able to cope if they
let themselves remember what happened to them. So, they may
look as if they have not been affected by the rape. This has been
called the stage of denial or pseudo-adjustment.
However, if a rape survivor is going to recover well from the
impact of a rape, s/he must let her/himself remember the rape
and feel whatever s/he is feeling inside. When s/he does start
remembering and feeling, s/he will also start suffering from
symptoms, but these usually improve gradually over time. It often
helps a survivor to have counselling if s/he is experiencing
symptoms that upset her/him.
The effects of rape are long term. Rape survivors never forget
being raped, but many learn how to deal with the memory.
Studies have shown that the symptoms suffered by a rape
survivor three months after a rape usually continue over the next
three to four years, although they do seem to improve over time.
Rape survivors who have strong self-esteem before being raped,
those who have good relationships with people and those who
have few major changes in their fives in the year, before a rape;
seem to recover more quickly from the effects of rape.
Rape Trauma Syndrome has been introduced in court cases
overseas in a number of ways: to corroborate a victim's claim
that s/he did not consent to having sex; to explain a rape
survivor's poor memory about a rape; and to help the court
decide on a sentence for a rapist. The negative effects of rape
are not yet widely known or recognised in South Africa. Many of
our courts are still operating under the false impression that rape
is merely unwanted sex and therefore, that it does not damage
rape survivors especially in the long term. Rape Trauma
Syndrome is only now being introduced as evidence in South
African courts.

www.crisiscentre.org.za/after_effects_rts.html

@op...u miss road? This is pet section o...or dem tell u say dogs dey go thru rape trauma?

Olarewajub:
Many people experience physical, psychological and behavioural
problems after suffering a serious trauma like losing someone
they love or being disabled in a car accident. These problems
have been called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This condition
is a normal reaction to abnormal stress. People who have not
previously had a mental illness or psychological problems can
suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Different kinds of traumas can produce different reactions. Take
rape for example: Rape is not just unwanted sex, it is a highly
traumatic experience and like other serious traumas, it has
negative effects on those who survive it. Rape is usually
experienced as life threatening and as an extreme violation of a
person. It is not surprising then, that many rape survivors suffer
from a particular kind of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, known
as Rape Trauma Syndrome:


PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME
... Immediately after a rape, survivors often experience shock: they
are likely to feel cold, faint, become mentally confused
(disoriented), tremble, feel nauseous and sometimes vomit.
Pregnancy.

Gynaecological problems like: irregular, heavier and/or painful
periods, vaginal discharges, bladder infections, sexually
transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhoea and/or AIDS.

Bleeding and/or infections from tears or cuts in the vagina or
rectum, depending on what happened during the rape.

A soreness of the body. There may also be bruising, grazes, cuts
etc, depending on the kind of force used during a rape.

Nausea and/or vomiting.

Throat irritations and/or soreness due to forced MouthAction.

Tension headaches.

Pain in the lower back and/or in the stomach.

Sleep disturbances like: difficulty falling asleep, waking up during
the night, being woken by nightmares about the rape, getting less
sleep than usual; or on the other hand feeling exhausted and
needing to sleep more than usual.
Eating disturbances such as: not feeling like eating, eating less
than usual and so losing weight; or on the other hand eating
more than usual and so putting on weight.


BEHAVIOURAL SYMPTOMS OF RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME
1. Crying more than usual.
2. Difficulty concentrating.
3. Being restless, agitated and unable to relax; or on the other hand
just sitting around and moving very little.
4. Not wanting to go out and/or socialise; or on the other hand
socialising more than usual.
5.Not wanting to be left alone.
6.Stuttering or stammering more than usual.
7. Trying to avoid anything that reminds the survivor of the rape. So
for example, someone who was raped at a party may stop going
to parties. Many rape survivors don't want to talk about what
happened, because it makes them remember the rape.
8. Being more easily frightened or startled than usual. Rape
survivors often get very scared when someone walks up behind
them without warning.
9. Being very alert and watchful.
10. Getting very upset by minor things that didn't worry them before
the rape.
11. Losing interest in things that used to be of interest to them before
the rape.
13. Problems in relationships with people like family, friends, lovers
and spouses. Rape survivors may become irritable and so may
quarrel with others more easily; or they may withdraw from
people with whom they had been close before the rape. They
may also become very dependent on others, or on the other
hand overly independent.
14. Sexual problems like a fear of sex, a loss of interest in sex or a
15. loss of sexual pleasure.
Changes in work or school such as: dropping out of school,
truanting from school, changing jobs, or stopping work altogether.
Moving house.
16. Increased use of substances like alcohol, cigarettes and/or drugs.
A person who didn't use a substance before the rape may start
to use it after a rape.
Increased washing and/or bathing, because of a feeling of being
dirty from the rape.
Acting as if the rape never happened. It is quite common for
rape survivors to try and carry on with their lives as if nothing has
happened, because they don't want to face their feelings about
the rape. This is called denial.


PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF RAPE TRAUMA SYNDROME
Intrusive thoughts about the rape that upset the rape survivor.
Intrusive thoughts and feelings about being dirty from
(contaminated by) the rape. These feelings often make rape
survivors wash or bath more frequently. These thoughts are
known as obsessional thoughts.
Flashbacks - the sudden feeling that the rape is happening again,
which makes the survivor very frightened and upset.
Nightmares about the rape.
Being very upset by anything that reminds the survivor of the
rape.
Becoming extremely afraid of certain things that remind the
survivor of the rape. Such extreme fears are called phobias. Rape
survivors often develop extreme fears of men, of strangers, of
being alone, of leaving their homes, of going to school or to
work, and of sex. These phobias are called traumatophobias,
because they are caused by a trauma.
A loss of memory for all or part of the rape, which is called
psychogenic amnesia.
Being unable to feel certain feelings like happiness, or feeling very
'flat'. On the other hand, rape survivors can feel emotionally
confused and have mood swings (quick changes of mood).
Feeling that they will not live for very long and/or feeling very
negative about their future prospects.
Feeling depressed and/or sad, and sometimes having thoughts
of suicide.
Feeling irritable and angry.
Feeling more fearful and anxious than usual. Rape survivors are
often very afraid that their assailant/s will return, that they may be
pregnant or have been infected with a disease from the rape.
Feelings of humiliation and shame.
Feeling different and/or distant from other people.
Feelings of guilt and self-blame about the rape. Rape survivors
often feel that they were somehow responsible for being raped.
Feelings of helplessness and powerlessness.
A loss of self respect and self confidence. Many rape survivors
feel that the rape has made them worth less than other people.
Human beings respond to trauma in different ways. Although
many rape survivors suffer from the symptoms of Rape Trauma
Syndrome, not all survivors respond to rape in the same way -
some rape survivors may have none of these symptoms and
others may suffer only a few. Therefore, if a person experiences
many of the symptoms of Rape Trauma Syndrome, it is highly
likely that s/he has been raped; but if a person claims to have
been raped, yet experiences none of these symptoms, or only a
few, it is not a sign that s/he has not actually been raped.
Because most rape survivors are afraid to tell anyone that they
have been raped, any person who claims to have been raped,
should be treated as if they have been raped.
It is important to treat each rape survivor as an individual and to
try and understand what the rape means to that particular person.
A person's religion, culture, class, race and gender may affect
how they feel about being raped. The impact of a rape may be
worse if the victim is physically or mentally handicapped, if they
were raped by more than one person, or on more than one
occasion; and/or if they were raped by someone they knew.
Coping with being rape may also be more difficult if family,
friends and colleagues are not supportive and/or blame the
survivor.
Rape survivors seem to experience different symptoms of Rape
Trauma Syndrome over time. In the first couple of days
immediately after a rape, a survivor usually experiences a state of
shock. After this shock has passed, some survivors try to act as
if nothing has happened. This is their way of trying to block out
the rape, because they feel that they won't be able to cope if they
let themselves remember what happened to them. So, they may
look as if they have not been affected by the rape. This has been
called the stage of denial or pseudo-adjustment.
However, if a rape survivor is going to recover well from the
impact of a rape, s/he must let her/himself remember the rape
and feel whatever s/he is feeling inside. When s/he does start
remembering and feeling, s/he will also start suffering from
symptoms, but these usually improve gradually over time. It often
helps a survivor to have counselling if s/he is experiencing
symptoms that upset her/him.
The effects of rape are long term. Rape survivors never forget
being raped, but many learn how to deal with the memory.
Studies have shown that the symptoms suffered by a rape
survivor three months after a rape usually continue over the next
three to four years, although they do seem to improve over time.
Rape survivors who have strong self-esteem before being raped,
those who have good relationships with people and those who
have few major changes in their fives in the year, before a rape;
seem to recover more quickly from the effects of rape.
Rape Trauma Syndrome has been introduced in court cases
overseas in a number of ways: to corroborate a victim's claim
that s/he did not consent to having sex; to explain a rape
survivor's poor memory about a rape; and to help the court
decide on a sentence for a rapist. The negative effects of rape
are not yet widely known or recognised in South Africa. Many of
our courts are still operating under the false impression that rape
is merely unwanted sex and therefore, that it does not damage
rape survivors especially in the long term. Rape Trauma
Syndrome is only now being introduced as evidence in South
African courts.

www.crisiscentre.org.za/after_effects_rts.html

Nigga U high??