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The Violence Prevention Center acknowledges the far-reaching effects of recent criminal justice cases in Cook County as well as sexual violence in all forms. Sexual violence usually occurs in private, but like all crime, it impacts victims and entire communities, including our community.
The media attention around recent cases may be triggering to those who have been impacted by sexual assault and child sexual abuse. A trigger is an event or situation which in some way resembles or symbolizes a past trauma, setting off a memory and transporting a survivor back to the sexual violence they were subjected to.
Triggers can be activated through the five senses including sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste. A triggered memory can have impacts such as nightmares, flashbacks, dissociation, and hyper-vigilance. Even though triggers can catch people off guard, with time and support, survivors can often learn to anticipate and manage them by developing a plan when triggered.
Triggers are very personal and can be anything from:
• The time of year or holiday during which the abuse occurred.
• Any sound associated with the abuse.
• A medical exam
• Touch or smell related to the abuse.
• An object that was used for the abuse.
• Seeing someone that resembles the person who subjected them to abuse.
A survivor may have no visual or auditory memory with flashbacks, but instead may feel a sense of panic or powerlessness. The body holds the memory of the abuse, and triggers can cause intense feelings and sensations in the body. People may be afraid to talk about these experiences for fear of being judged or misunderstood. During a triggering moment, it can be difficult to remember the safety and security of the present moment. If you’ve been triggered and you’re having a flashback, you can:
• Remind yourself that it’s a flashback and it will pass.
• Use grounding techniques such as deep breathing or naming five things you can see, hear, taste, smell, and feel.
• Go for a walk or spend some time in nature.
• Do an easy and repetitive activity.
• Cry.
• Share your feelings with someone you trust, such as a friend or a VPC advocate.
• Practice self-care such as taking a bath, reading a book, drinking tea, journaling, or resting.
Remember to be patient with yourself. Healing and learning effective coping strategies take time.
Sexual violence typically happens in secret. It can be incredibly difficult for survivors of sexual violence to come forward, which could mean several different things – reporting to law enforcement, testifying in a trial, or even just finding the courage to tell one person and ask for help. Many survivors struggle with feelings of shame or fear, which can prevent them from talking about the abuse. That’s why it’s so important that we all listen to and believe survivors. We must support all survivors, whether they are a child or an adult and no matter their gender. No one should ever have to be subjected to sexual violence, and all survivors deserve our respect and support. If we want to see a change in our community, we can start by listening to and believing survivors and standing by them in solidarity and support.
If you or someone you know has been affected by or subjected to sexual assault, the Violence Prevention Center is here to support you. Our services are free and confidential. We will listen, and we will believe you. Call 218-387-1262 to speak with an advocate, 24 hours a day.
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we are doing our annual sticker campaign. The VPC has created stickers with messages of support for survivors which are available for free around town during the month of April. You can pick some up while you are visiting the library, the Co-op, Java Moose, Drury Lane Books, Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, the County Attorney’s Office, Public Health and Human Services, and Lockport and Clearview General Store in Lutsen. Taking and displaying our 2023 stickers is a great way to help us raise awareness and show your support for survivors during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Additionally, the VPC has an upcoming event on Wednesday, April 27th. Join us for a webinar in partnership with Cook County Higher Ed, titled “Understanding Domestic Violence.” Participants will gain a better understanding of domestic violence: what domestic violence is, the dynamics of abuse, how domestic violence impacts the local community, and ways that each of us can support victims/survivors in our lives and in our community. This is an opportunity to learn more about a topic that is often misunderstood, but affects more than 10 million victims/ survivors of abuse every year in the U.S. Register online at mycche.org.
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