The holiday season is a time of celebration and a chance to reconnect with family and friends, but it can also present challenges for some survivors of sexual assault.
Perpetrators of sexual violence are usually someone the victim knows.
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This is especially true for those who have experienced child sexual abuse. For survivors, holiday gatherings may mean facing painful memories, feelings of anxiety, or a chance of repeated harm.
Large gatherings can also make it more difficult for survivors
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Feb 10, 2021 • 26 tweets • 10 min read
This week, we are going to talk about sleep hygiene. If you haven't heard this term before, it basically means how clean are your sleeping routines?!
In these long pandemic-filled days, which has amped up the anxiety for many, sleep can be more elusive than ever
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We've talked about sleep troubles, naps, and other topics here, so today we're covering sleep hygiene.
How many of us take an internet device like a phone or tablet to bed? You don't have to admit it, but stats show many people sleep with a device next to the bed.
- Say hi!
- Use the #SexAbuseChat hashtag in tweets AND replies.
- Engage only if you want to.
- Be respectful of others.
- Avoid explicit language that may trigger others.
We don't discuss politics during chat.
Please avoid explicit language that may trigger others.
Please stay on tonight's topic of discussion.
As always, remember to use the #SexAbuseChat hashtag in tweets AND replies.
Apr 8, 2020 • 30 tweets • 11 min read
So we find ourselves in the midst of a global pandemic. Those who never had anxiety have increasing levels of it... For those of us w/ trauma, PTSD, anxiety and/or depression linked to sexual abuse, this situation has possibly had an effect on our symptoms.
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Those who are at home most of the time may not be affected so much by the 'lockdown' procedures sweeping the globe, however venturing out for food or meds is now a very different experience, and likely an increasingly nerve-shredding one.
A woman does not need to fight back or resist in order to prove that she did not consent to unwanted sex. (Canadian sexual assault law does not require proof of resistance to demonstrate a lack of consent.) Nevertheless, in popular imagination
women are often expected to resist in order to prove that they really were “real” victims of sexual assault. This is one of the enduring #RapeMyths, that a “true” victim of sexual assault will fight back or scream and yell, and if she didn’t she must have consented to sex.
Jan 29, 2020 • 23 tweets • 10 min read
Tonight we're discussing disclosure - it's different for every survivor. When to disclose, if we disclose, how to disclose...we'll discuss ways and when and how tonight and all that entails (in the time available).
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When people hear the word "disclosure", especially in relation to sexual abuse, their minds probably go toward reporting to the authorities. While this is an option, of course, disclosure does not have to mean going this route.
Many times, especially as childhood survivors of sexual abuse, therapy wasn't an option for many of us for various reasons. For me, it was the mid-70s and therapy was frowned upon. As I write in my books, only people like my 'crazy Aunt Barbara' went to therapy #SexAbuseChat
because she'd tried to end her life several times. Or it was what 'hippies' did - going to transcendental meditation or EST. Therapy wasn't for abused kids - besides, 'she's FINE' my mom told everyone. It was swept under the rug.
The holidays are meant to be a time of joy and merriment, according to Hallmark. For survivors of sexual abuse, the picture may be different.
The holidays can involve a lot of socializing, visiting family, seeing those from the past which can be triggering.
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It's essential we have our grounding strategies down to a fine art to navigate the festive period with as little added discomfort as is possible.
What's grounding? Grounding is simply the process of anchoring ourselves back in our bodies in the present moment.
Tonight we're discussing navigating the holidays - can be tough, what with the societal pressures of parties, gifts, family and friends, and work commitments - difficult for anyone yet especially hard for survivors. We'll discuss ways to cope #SexAbuseChat
The holiday season is upon us, complete with festivities, music, food and a sense of social obligation to "eat, drink and be merry", or something along those lines.
What does it mean to be "triggered?" In recent years, this term has been casually used to refer to the experience of having an emotional reaction, usually to some type of disturbing content in the form of media or in another social context,
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be that violence, mention of suicide, or other situations.
However, from a mental health perspective, being "triggered" more narrowly refers to the experience of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Grounding is essential for survivors, especially to manage symptoms of PTSD.
Grounding is about connecting with our body and anchoring our body in our surroundings, to calm anxiety and control dissociation patterns when feeling triggered.
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By grounding, we can stay present and make sure that we are in control of decision making and can respond soothingly to our inner child who may be suffering a trauma response to feeling triggered (so maybe reacting with fight/flight/freeze). #SexAbuseChat
Mar 24, 2019 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
I guess, more than anything, here's what bothers me about people's comments about #LeavingNeverland, Robson and Safechuck: they lived it. You weren't there. You can make judgments ALL you want, but it means NOTHING. It's not your life.
As any childhood sexual abuse (#CSA) survivor will tell you, we're used to not being believed. We're used to people dismissing and minimizing us. We build up our defenses because, in truth, our healing only depends on us, not anyone else's validation.
1. Child sex abusers “groom” their child victims. Child sex abusers are patient and cunning, and often the “nice guys” you want your kids to spend time with. Often generous, fun activities, cash, candy,
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jewelry, special clothing, trips, adopting endearing nicknames, telling the children he/she “loves” them and their families, and other special treatment. Telling children that sex abuse is how they show “love” to each other. Using showers, alcohol #SexAbuseChat
