Common emotional responses to child sexual assault are long-term depression, sadness, anxiety, intense fear of feelings or memories of the abuse, and anger. Some men feel joyless, and ‘empty inside’. A very common feeling following abuse is shame. This feeling may ‘cover’ the whole person, so that by the time the child becomes an adult he feels worthless and unlovable. Difficulties in managing difficult feelings are among the main reasons men come to SAMSSA.
The purpose of the ‘numbing’ strategies is to numb the feelings about the trauma. They usually have the side-effect of numbing other feelings too.
Some of the most common of these strategies are the use of chemicals to alter mood. They include:
Other numbing strategies include the ‘rush’ strategies. In these, the survivor engages in activities which provide an absorbing psychological ‘high’:
Another group of numbing strategies are the task/discipline group, where the strategy is to throw oneself into highly challenging, absorbing, or painful tasks. For men, these strategies often have an element of aggression, pain or high levels of self-control:
An additional benefit of aggression- or risk-based strategies is they may help the survivor combat feelings of shame about being a ‘victim’.
The Canberra Rape Crisis Centre acknowledges that we conduct our work on the lands of the Ngunnawal & Ngambri People, Traditional Custodians of the Canberra region. We pay respect to First Nations Peoples and Elders past and present throughout the nation. We recognise the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities, and acknowledge that lands were never ceded.
Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
Service Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Assault
P.O Box 3805,
WESTON CREEK, ACT 2611
Admin & Business Enquiries:
Business Phone Line (02) 6287 3618
Email crcc@crcc.org.au
Crisis Support & Services Information:
Crisis Phone Line (02) 6247 2525
Crisis Text Contact Only 0488 586 518
Crisis Email Contact crisis@crcc.org.au
Community Education & Training Enquiries:
Business Phone Line (02) 6287 3618
Email cep@crcc.org.au
CRCC is committed to excellence in service provision, intersectional feminism, access & equity, diversity & inclusion.
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