Getting Your Life Back After Rape

Rape is never an easy subject to talk about. Victims of rape suffer alone in fear and with trust issues.

Not talking about rape leaves it’s victims isolated in a world where fear and regret is a constant thought. Rape victims feel they are the blame for what has happened to them, they are not. Understanding the thought process of a victim of rape is not always clear, one minute they understand what has happened to them, the next minute they are totally confused about the fact that they could not or did not stop the attack. It’s not your fault! The more a rape victim blames themselves for someone’s sick and selfish act, the more they will imprison their mind to believe they could have done more. Their lives are turned upside down and inside out while their thoughts are dark.

Facing what has happened to you is the beginning stages of understanding It was not your fault.

You did not ask for this to happen to you no matter how many drinks you had. Make no mistake your abuser will have you feeling this and much more. Get in your head you were a victim of a horrible event, but you are a survival as well. Your voice will not be silent no matter how many times you lay awake crying in the middle of the night, you will not be locked away to relive this event over and over again within your mind. May be you rushed home after the attack instead of going to the hospital, but it’s never too late for you to talk to someone or report what has happened. Was it someone you knew? Do you feel responsible for what has happened to you? Are you out of sorts by what has taken place changing you as a person? You are not alone and many women as well as men suffer from this silent killer too afraid to tell someone for fear of judgment. Getting to a place where you are no longer afraid to leave your home or job is the beginning of getting back your life. Below is a list of ways you can start the healing process and take back your life from the silent screams you keep hidden inside.

• Reach out to a rape crisis center in your area if you are not comfortable talking to a counselor.

• Get checked out by your doctor or at the nearest hospital.

• Know that it’s not your fault!

• Report the rape to your local police department. The more you can remember about the person, the better it will assist law enforcement in removing this induvial off the streets.

• Speak with a spiritual advisor to help with the many stages of grief you will experience.

• Keep a journal of your emotions and feelings from day to day.

You will be out of sorts for a while finding yourself avoiding events with family and friends. If you haven’t told your loved one's find a time when it’s safe for you to tell them what is going on and allow them to help you through the process. Be prepared to go through moments of anger and rage. Feeling as if you could have prevented the attack will always be in the corners of your mind. Be thankful that you made it out alive since this is not always the case. Slowly you will begin to put your life back together piece by piece and it will take time and patience. Don’t force yourself to do things that will remind what happened. In fact avoid areas where you feel unsure or sad. You are a work in progress and your patience to what has happened will have its highs and lows. You are stronger than you think and never allow set backs to keep you depressed or your mind will trap you into thinking otherwise.

Reporting a rape is never easy and leaves its victims helpless. The last thing you want to do is tell your story to men or women in law enforcement when you don’t feel confrontable, but it’s the only way to catch the person who has done this to you. Find new ways to distract from what has happened to you when your mind wants you to relive the event. Know that any form of intimacy will cause you to feel uncomfortable for a while which is understandable for what you’ve going through, don’t rush yourself in this area. The healing of your heart, mind and body is what you need to focus on when moving on. Life for you may feel ugly and nasty and needing to wash or shower is the mental way for your mind to process that something horrible has taken place. You wash and shower as if to clean it away, but you still feel dirty and nasty inside. This feeling is what many victims of rape go through so know you are not alone when this is happeing to you. Push through whatever you are feeling by telling your heart you are not a victim, but a survivior.

Who can you call?

There are many programs out there to help you. The first place you would want to check is your state and government sites.

Rainn, Rape Abuse & Incest National Network at 1-800-656-4673

https://www.rainn.org/

Joyful Heart Foundation, 1 in 6 Partnership and 1 Blue String; Supporting Male Survivors.

http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/programs/education-awareness/engaging-men/1in6-partnership-and-1bluestring?gclid=CKSVhMOr5MUCFcQkgQodBr4APQ

To locate a rape crisis center in your area you can search the internet.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

For Depression you can visit, Your Life Your Voice at 1-800-448-3000

http://www.yourlifeyourvoice.org/Pages/home.aspx

24 hours prayer hotline, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) 1-877-731-1000. For those who seek spiritual counsel.

Going forward you will be more alert than you’ve ever been following such an event and seeking help is the key to successfully getting your life back.

To learn more about healing after rape pick up Johanna Sparrow's Newest book release, RCode on Amazon today!