Sexual violence prevalence and response Flashcards
What is trauma
an unexpected event which is considered to be outside the normal experience of a person in his/her lifetime
Trauma occurs when a person is unable to determine what may happen
War crime disaster and assault are known to be life experience
People do no expect traumatic events to happen to them, their families, friends, or acquaintances
sexual violence
Any act (verbal and or physical) which violates a person’s trust and or safety and is sexual in nature
Use of power, control, forse, status, intimidation, coercion, threat, physical presence, substances, technology, among other efforts to attempt or perpetrate sexual violence
forms of sexual violence
sexual assault- unwanted sexual contact ranging from fondling to penetration, sex is used as a weapon of violence
Sexual abuse- involves use of psychological pressure to initiate sex contract and may include repeated sex assault within the context of an established relationship
Sex exploitation- involves practices by which a person, usually an adult, achieves sexual gratification, financial gain or advancemnet, though the abuse or exploitation of anothers sexuality by thwarting basic human rights to dignity, equality autonomy and physical mental well being
Legal tenets surrounding sexual violence
basic premise that sexual violence is non-consensual, involves use of force or coercion, and offese includes sexual elements
Anyone may be a victim of sexual violence, there are no boundaries
no age, gender, race, socio-economic status etc do not eliminate nor create the potential for safety
consent is defined by ones ability to agree to an action of behavior, consent included areas such as age, cognition, power differentials, and impairment due to external influences
Psychological trauma is a neuorbiological injury
impacts the limbic system yielding reduced volume in the hippocampus and the amygdala
alters the production of stress hormones (cortisol), and neurotransmitters (epinephrine, dopamine, serotonin)
diminishes integration betwen left and right hemispheres
Traumatic memory is - sensory, exists as fragments, cannot be willfully retrieved and is triggered by unforeseen cures in the environment
each individual has a different response to stress
types of stress
Positive stress: short lived experiences causing minor physiological changes, afford opportunitey fo skill building and self soothing behaviors
Tolerable stress: relatively short lived, more intense experiences impact can be overcome with support and caring but may lead to toxic stress without intervention
Toxic stress- intense adverse experiences that may be sustained over a long period of time–weeks months or even years, stress response system gets activated for a prolonged amount of time, this can lead to permanent changes in the development of the brain
Impact of trauma across lifespan
effects of adverse childhood experiences - neurological, biological, psychological, social
Adverse childhood experience (ACE) study
Historical trauma
cumulative emotional and psychological wounding resulting from trauma experienced by a social group
Generates surviror guild, depression, low self esteem, psychic numbing anger, and physical symptoms
Types of trauma
simple trauma- a single traumatic event that is limited in time
Chronic trauma- the experience of multipe traumatic events
Complex trauma- bothe exposure to chronic trauma and the impact of such exposure on the individual
Aftermath of sexual trauma
Physical- injuries, fatigue, soreness, sleep disturbance, appetite change, sexually transmitted infections, pregancy,
Emotional/psychological- continuum of trauma- related reactions may include numbness, anxiety, fear, guilt shame, loss of control, isolation, withdrawn, smiling, laughing vulnerability, despair, among other
Economic- income loss, medical treatment, counseling expense, evidence replacement, employement impact,
trauma informed approach
Determine Safety, Establish trust, Develop Partership share power, create choice, build empowerment, address trauma history
