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The Acute Phase
During this phase, the survivor experiences a complete disruption
of their life, responding to the fear of death they experienced.
Survivors may display any of a number of contrasting emotional
responses. A survivor may cry, shout, swear, laugh nervously,
be silent, discuss the weather, or sit calmly. Responses may
vary depending on any one of a number of external and experiential
circumstances. No response is inappropriate! However, responses
fall into on of two main styles: Expressed, or Controlled
If a survivor uses the Expressed style,
they openly display their emotions. They may be agitated and
restless, talk a lot, cry, swear, and laugh. Any emotion is
appropriate – because every person has his or her own
unique way of responding to events in their life.
If a survivor uses the Controlled style,
they contain their emotions. Most of the survivor's
energy is directed toward maintaining composure. They may
sit calmly, respond to questions in a detached, logical way,
and downplay their fear, sadness, anger, and anxiety.
Both of these styles of emotional response
reflect different ways of dealing with a crisis. A person
may also exhibit characteristics of both styles.
In general, the survivor's initial response
to the assault will be shock and disbelief. Many survivors
may appear numb. Far from being inappropriate, this response
provides an emotional “time-out” during which
the survivor can acknowledge and begin to process the myriad
components of the experience. A survivor who was assaulted
by an acquaintance may have a particularly difficult time
overcoming shock and disbelief. The experience of an acquaintance
rape can also make a person question the trustworthiness of
others in their life. If the assault was particularly terrifying
or brutal, the survivor may experience an extreme shock response
and completely block out the assault.
Following the shock and disbelief most survivors
initially experience, they may experience a variety of emotions
or mood swings. Survivors may feel angry, afraid, lucky to
be alive, humiliated, dirty, sad, confused, vengeful, degraded.
All of these responses, as well as many that are not listed,
are normal. In short, whatever a survivor is feeling is valid
because they are feeling it. It is how they express their
reaction to the rape crisis.
Physical Concerns
of the Acute Phase
Usually, the survivor will report a general soreness and aches
throughout their body. Survivors will also report pain in
the specific areas of the body that were targeted during the
assault. These specific pains may be the result of actual
physical trauma, or may be a psychosomatic response. Both
reasons are equally valid and real.
The survivor will often notice disruptions
in their usual sleeping and eating patterns. They may not
be able to eat or sleep, or may eat more than usual and be
unable to stay awake. Survivors may report nightmares in which
they relive the assault. These may evolve into dreams in which
the survivor takes the violent role in some way, in effect
reclaiming the control lost during the assault. Although both
types of dreams may upset a person, they are part of the healing
process. Sexual assault is such a traumatic event that the
survivor may dream about it in some way throughout their life.
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