Physical Abuse

Under this category we are going to target sexual assault/ rape. Another sensitive topic, and one of the hardest to recover from. Within the past few months in Trinidad, if yall have been listening to the news, you would notice that every week there`s an incident of rape, especially amongst kids and young adults. And who do we later hear were the perpetrators? A family member, not so?
If you or someone you know is being sexually assaulted, please report it. Here i am going to tell you why.

Research has shown that approximately 1 out of every 5-6 women suffer from sexual assault. Did you hear what i just said????? Thats a wholeeeee lot! And to make it worse, 60% are not reported. Why?
The impacts of sexual assault goes way beyond what the mere eyes can see. Persons who suffer such trauma develop grave insecurities and mistrust. Moreso, victims and family members blame themselves for what happened. So before we go further, let me tell you now, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!. It may feel like the end of the world, but alot of women who have reported it and gotten help, have overcome it and gotten married and have families. It is not going to be an easy journey, but it will profit you.
Always remember that you`re not alone and your feelings of helplessness, shame, defect, depression, etc, are normal reactions to traumatic experiences. When a traumatic experience occurs, your mind represses the memory into the unconscious of your mind. This way when any future events occur that have similarities to your past trauma, the emotions and memories play back in your mind.

We know just thinking about the assault makes you feel dirty and weak and make you afraid to speak out as persons may judge. You may even think that if you dont talk about it, then it didn't happen. False!! By not speaking out, the emotions are repressed and will keep reoccurring, thus making the long term coping mechanism harder.

Here are some ways to get help:

1. Get help – reach out to someone you trust to talk about the incident that occurred. We know after the assault you may feel like you can’t trust anyone. If that is the case, Trinidad has a rape hotline. The information is as follows : The Rape Crisis Society of Trinidad and Tobago (RCS)
   North office: Port of Spain - 24 Hour Hotline (868) 627-7273
   South office: San Fernando - 24 Hour Hotline (868) 657-5355
2. Be active – By doing this, it will help your mind focus on positive factors. You can join a support group, do charity, etc. By helping other people, it will provide a sense of empowerment and accomplishment, thus helping with the depression or isolation.
3. Justice – make sure and report the incident so that justice is served. If it happened to you, it can happen to others. Don’t be afraid to identify the rapist and testify in court. If you don’t want to be identified on news or papers, simply let the judicial bodies know so they can restrict the access of the press during court.
4. Repressed Memories – prepare yourself for flashbacks. As I mentioned before about repressed memories being stored in our unconscious, our body becomes hyper sensitive, and will react to the smallest stimuli that relates to the trauma. You may also have nightmares. In order to prevent these from developing into post traumatic disorders, observe and be mindful of the things and places that trigger the memory, you may also experience dizziness, racing heartbeats, hot flashes and racing thoughts. When you notice any of these listed above, try to calm yourself. Something as simple as controlling your breathing through deep breaths in and holding for a few seconds, then out your mouth, helps.
5. Reassurance – reassure yourself that the trauma is over. This is just a flashback, but it is not reality. Think positively, and eventually you will be able to overcome it.
6. Exercise – physical exercise also relaxes the mind. Yoga as well is a great relaxant.