The political world has been buzzing recently about the recent supreme court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh and the sexual assault allegations that Dr. Christine Ford has made against him during the nomination. Sexual assault survivors all across the country have had to make the choice between being completely out of the loop in this current political climate and having to relive the trauma of their previous experiences with sexual assault, and it has been leaving them torn because of this. It does not have to be like this; while it is critical that everyone stays in the loops about what's going on in our country and in the world, people that deal with the trauma of sexual assault (or any type of trauma, for that matter) need to take care of themselves first.
They don't have to deal with this weight alone. There are lots of ways to help a sexual assault survivor in their time of need, especially during this time when sexual assault is all over the news again and they have to relive their trauma. The best way sexual assault survivors can overcome their struggle and trauma is knowing that someone is there for them, and there are so many ways one person can support a sexual assault survivor in their time of need.
One of the best ways to support a sexual assault survivor is to be open with them and choose their phrases wisely. It is a pretty obvious statement to believe sexual assault survivors because the only person that can say whether or not they've been abused is the survivor themselves, but many people tend to forget the important role language plays in these times of need. Using phrases like "I'm sorry this happened to you" and "you are not alone" are highly recommended to use by the organization RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network), and degrading phrases such as "why couldn't have you just done this?" can be considered a form of victim blaming and is not welcome.
Another way one can help a sexual assault survivor during their time of need is to put them at ease in the best way you possibly can. Like what I said in the previous paragraph, sexual assault survivors do not need any type of degrading victim blaming that can make them feel worse about the situation. They would like to feel at ease during this time and knowing that someone is there for them can take a lot of weight off of their shoulders.
Being a visible supporter of all sexual assault survivors is one of the most important ways to support a sexual assault survivor since sexual assault can happen to anyone at any time. When an assault survivor sees that you are actively supporting another assault survivor, they can see that you are an active supporter and will know that you are a safe person to turn to when it comes to these types of issues. Assault, abuse, and trauma are not issues that should be taken lightly, so showing a survivor that you support them and believe them, this can make them be taken more seriously.
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