PTSD-RTS (Rape Trauma Syndrome)

Rape Trauma Syndrome / PTSD

Rape is the only type of crime that reliably predicts development of a psychological disorder (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Rape Trauma Syndrome); 57% of all completed rape survivors develop RTS, and 16.5% still have RTS 17 years after the rape.

"Sometimes I think the feelings are more intense now than they were at first. I was on the trolley and two guys came and sat down across from me. They looked like the two that raped me. I could almost feel like I was being grabbed again. I just have to keep thinking intellectually that it isn’t going to happen. I know intellectually it won’t, but my gut reaction is so intense…I feel people are following me. I still look at every car that goes by even though I know the guys are locked up. Sometimes it gets so intense…it seems worse than it ever was."

-Rape Survivor; age 21
Three months following the rape


Definition of Rape Trauma Syndrome:

Symptoms the rape survivor experiences that are both mental (emotional) and physical. The rape survivor will experience symptoms of physically reliving the rape, fear of seeing the assailant, fear of another attack, sleep disturbances, nightmares, fear, suspiciousness, anxiety, major depression, and impairment in social functions.

Rape Trauma Syndrome has three stages:

A. Impact Stage
B. Acute Stage
C. Resolution Stage

IMPACT STAGE

The impact stage is the initial stage most survivors experience. The survivor may appear dazed, in a state of un-reality and struggling to comprehend the rape. There is a wide range of symptoms that rape survivors express during this time: from calm and controlling to hysterical and crying. Often the survivor will make comments like, “I can’t believe this happened to me” or some other shock-type of statement which disclaims the actuality of the traumatic event. The victim is realizing that their lifestyle has been completely disrupted. The most common reactions of this stage are:

Shock: The person appears to be on automatic pilot and may act as like they normally do. If this response does not work, then crisis sets in.

Denial: The person may refuse or avoid talking about the incident, or even try not to think about it. The person wants to forget what happened. This is usually a short-lived response.

Rationalization: Involves a lot of talking and repeating the same things over and over, often may appear to be void of emotions. It is usually a verbal processing of thoughts. A person might ask a lot of, “What if…” and “Why didn’t I…” questions.

During these first few days, the survivor may be concerned with decisions regarding medical care, police involvement, physical security, etc. He/She will probably be concerned with how significant others will respond to the assault. The survivor may still feel a loss of control. Sometimes signs of depression will serve to mask other feelings.


ACUTE STAGE

This stage generally lasts 4-8 weeks after the assault. During this stage, the survivor’s usual coping mechanisms have failed and a struggle to regain control is occurring. Some of the symptoms of Rape Trauma Syndrome during this acute state could include:

Physical:
Fatigue, soreness, pain, etc. Some are real and some are psychosomatic. Sleep pattern disturbances are common. The survivor usually has trouble sleeping or restless nights when they wake and cannot go back to sleep. Some will have nightmares and wake up screaming, etc. Eating pattern disturbances can include decreases appetite, nausea and vomiting or stomach pains. Symptoms specific to the attack could be the mouth and throat irritation caused by oral sex, vaginal discharge, bleeding, pain, swelling, etc., caused by anal sex.

Emotional:
Primary symptoms include fear of death, injury, mutilation, etc. The survivor feels a combination of “thankful to be alive” and “fear of death” which is related to a loss of control. Shame, guilt, and anger are also symptoms that may be occurring.

Thoughts-Cognitive:
Survivors will often try to suppress thoughts of the attack. Often when this approach is used the survivor suffers from flashbacks and nightmares. Most go through a rationalization process throughout the duration of syndrome- “What if..”, “If I had only…”, and “Why did this happen to me?”

RESOLUTION STAGE

At the end of 8 weeks, the crisis should be mostly resolved. However, the crisis may reoccur when certain triggers appear and remind the survivor of the assault. For example, testifying in court, seeing a person who resembles the rapist, or having to go for a HIV, pregnancy test, etc. can trigger a crisis response. There may continue to be a disruption in the survivor’s life. However, if symptoms continue, or get worse, a referral for professional help may be needed.


COMMON FEELINGS EXPERIENCED BY SURVIVORS

• The following are not the only emotions experienced by survivors. This is a list of a few of the most common.


NIGHTMARES:
Nightmares are much more prevalent following the first few weeks following the assault or during times when the survivor is dealing with a lot of trauma. During the healing process, the survivor spends so many waking hours thinking about the assault that it can become overwhelming. These thoughts can even carry over into the survivors sleeping hours, becoming nightmares. When the survivor goes to bed, the brain is still working, trying to sort out the day’s thoughts. As a survivor sleeps, the thoughts continue. Those thoughts form into dreams. Before you know it, the survivor is dreaming about the assault.

ANGER:
It is easy to see why the survivor is angry. His/Her power and control was taken away and the survivor is left to deal with the aftermath. In many cases, the survivor’s sense of security is stripped away, leaving the survivor feeling vulnerable. The survivor didn’t ask to have this done to them and now they are having work through all the issues surrounding the assault. The anger many be directed toward himself/herself, the rapist, therapist, family, friends, co-workers, etc.

SHOCK:
A feeling of numbness might occur with the survivor. Many survivors state that they are on “automatic pilot”. This generally happens during the first few days following the assault.

DENIAL:
Disbelief and denial by the survivor often occurs even when there is evidence to support the contrary: violence, forceful isolation, restraint, verbal threats, etc. Many survivors recall denying to themselves that they were being raped. Following the assault, some will make statements like, “That did not just happen to me.”

SELF-BLAME:
Many survivors feel betrayed by their own judgment. This can especially be true in cases of acquaintance rape. In cases of acquaintance rape, men/women that the survivor knew, men/women to whom they have trusted, men/women who they will most likely continue to see around, have turned on them in a terrible way. The feelings of self-blame begin as the survivor recognizes his/her inability to make the acquaintance rapist stop. Immediately after the rape, self-blame causes many survivors to try and shut the episode out of their minds. Also, self-blame is one of the reasons why survivors do not report the assault to authorities, in fear that others will blame them just as they blame themselves.

NOT FIGHTING BACK:
After being raped, many survivors are angry with themselves for not fighting back harder, even though, at the time of the rape, most report feeling afraid for their lives. In retrospect, they think of ways they could have fought off the attack, screamed for help, or escaped. They often replay the assault in their minds, trying to come up with a different ending.

I can identify with all of this - I was raped nearly seven years ago on 24th July 2000, and it is still affecting my daily life. If one can call it "life"!!

Recently I have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotional Attachment Syndrome, both of which are also as a result of the attack, in my view. I would like to hear from anyone who knows anything about this condition too - is it something I will get over?

Thanks,

Emma

Hi, littleme, welcome! This is a great place and I hope you will find some answeres.
I'm sorry for what happened to you and I think you're right, your problems come from the abuse.
I hope you'll feel comfortable and share with us.

Great information SiD!

I just want you to know that with time it gets better. Its a horrible thing to go through and it caused me to develop dissociative personality disorder. The fear will subside and you will be able to live a normal life again. Its hard to hear, but there are even worse things than rape and many people who have been raped have come through it a better person.

Looking at the Description above in the First Post, I having a lot of trouble with the Resolution Stage.

RESOLUTION STAGE

At the end of 8 weeks, the crisis should be mostly resolved. However, the crisis may reoccur when certain triggers appear and remind the survivor of the assault. For example, testifying in court, seeing a person who resembles the rapist, or having to go for a HIV, pregnancy test, etc. can trigger a crisis response. There may continue to be a disruption in the survivor’s life. However, if symptoms continue, or get worse, a referral for professional help may be needed.

No doubt this summary is written by Shrink Pros.
I just find it awfully assuming and even alluding towards arrogance for mental health professionals to give a defined time-frame of 8 weeks, to say that a victim of rape, incest or spousal abuse will be for the most part resolved. ("Of course they add that

the crisis may reoccur when certain triggers appear and remind the survivor of the assault.

Really? No S*#T! This definition seems too abbreviated, confined, and limited. Eight Weeks? I never thought that the Resolution Stage was so short and so defined. Sounds more like a mental health magic prescription too me. I mean no disrespect to anyone by saying all this. I so much wish I could arrive at this resolution stage, its just that it appears that I'm looking down a cheap hand-held telescope in reverse looking at the moon so far far away. Yes I've made leaps and bounds in my ongoing healing for the better part of my overall health. But this Resolution I can't even imagine in my lifetime.

Maybe the Healing from my Gang-Rape and Torture at Gunpoint would have sped up much faster if I didn't have to endure many other Stresses in Life. Death is a Reality in Life that we all have to confront whether we want to or not.
Maybe its this watching my beloved father suffer for eleven years, paralyzed at home in a make shift mini hospital on a ventilator with family and nurses always at his side. Yes their were Joy's but also much sadness; he died Christmas 2007.

My youngest brother Dan, now 42 terminally ill with A.L.S. ("Lou Gehrig's Disease") married to an American woman suffering acute Bi-Polar disease. My beloved Mother 75 very poor health, cardiac problems, diabetic, and on kidney dialysis three times a week. Another younger brother suffering two mini-strokes within a year. My oldest sister suffering one mini stroke.
And then there's little Ole me having to deal with Pancreatic cancer and Chemo therapy treatments besides the traumatic horror of my past.

What's next? I'm just glad God gave me a heart to feel for others and help bring some form of joy and hope on their heart. Life's too short even though Pain sometimes stops us from seeing others outside of ourselves and our vulnerable masks of pain and brokenness. Despite pain in our lives we all have this hidden capacity within ourselves to reach out to others.
Perhaps that is our greatest strength even when we fail to recognize it.

Peace
Chris

P.S. One day at a time Sweet Lord. Never mind tomorrow, it has enough worries of its own.

I have been dating a girl for 5 months now. She is a wonderful kind loving person. But she has many things off about her. She has severe anxiety. She has attacks almost daily especially everytime we fight. She has a history of bullemia. She also doesnt sleep much, but if she does she has night terrors about being raped which i cant wake her up from. She says shes depressed almost always and rarely wants to get out of bed. I looked up these symptoms and this seems to be the only explanation. I think she may have repressed memories of it. Do you think this is the case? and if so would mentioning it ruin her life? or make her more depressed? or would it allow her to over come these things? I dont know who to ask. Please help!

Hi! Yah, you should talk to her about it. Tell her she could get some professional help and show her this forum too. If you start a thread about this, you could get more replies.

This is all sounding very familiar

Im thinking about the incest problem... what I remember. What I don't....!! It certainly agitates that the anxiety in me... I have not done allot of work on this yet. except through general therapy...