How to Deal with Sexual Trauma?

last updated on: 03.06.2025 | Medical review by:

Mayara Belli

Nutritionist

Few topics are as delicate as discussing sexual trauma. Many people avoid talking about it, change the subject, or try to steer the conversation elsewhere, but the truth is that it’s necessary to break this taboo and overcome trauma in order to move forward in life. Talking about sexual trauma is important for those who suffer from it, so that it doesn’t get internalized and turn into even bigger problems throughout their lives. Of course, overcoming this isn’t something you do alone; a lot of professional help is needed, as well as support from the people around you. And since this subject is so sensitive, we need to approach it gradually, carefully explaining what sexual trauma is and indicating the best ways to deal with this kind of issue.

What is Sexual Trauma?

Sexual trauma can be defined as the result of any type of abuse, whether physical or psychological, that affects a person’s ability to coexist with others throughout their life¹. In other words, it’s what remains as a negative sexual experience. It could be rape or any act of violence that leads to temporary or lifelong consequences, hindering the person from living a healthy life and having healthy relationships. Learning to deal with these traumas is essential for anyone who has gone through them, because it’s the only way for the affected person to have a better life, without fears or blockages, and to have positive experiences in this area.

Symptoms of Sexual Trauma

A person suffering from sexual trauma usually exhibits various symptoms, most of them psychological, but they can often manifest as physical symptoms as well². There are also physical traumas that the body endures, as in cases of rape, for example, where organs like the uterus, vaginal canal, and anus may be injured. Cases of sexual trauma are sensitive for both men and women, but unfortunately, they are much more common among women, so we’ll discuss symptoms that they typically display. These include:

Feeling of guilt – Often the person tends to blame themselves for what happened, which is usually the result of shame, a product of the type of upbringing they received.
Disgust with oneself – Many women who have suffered some type of sexual abuse tend to wear loose clothing and take many showers. These behaviors indicate a certain disgust with themselves and shame of their own body.
Frequent nightmares about the topic – This is very common, because even if you try to hide it, something that marks your unconscious so deeply will inevitably surface.
Repressed memory – This is another defense mechanism that tries to hide memories of what actually happened. A person with repressed memories often behaves unusually when confronted with such memories.
Distrust – People who have suffered sexual trauma, especially when young or as children, tend not to trust anyone they know. This is a very common defense mechanism.
Aggressiveness – This can also result from the person’s distrust and fear of strangers. Aggressive behavior works as a shield to avoid disappointment or new trauma.
Regular vomiting – This also happens more often when the person tries to hide the topic from themselves. The unconscious, once again, manifests symptoms.

As you can see, there are many ways that our bodies and minds react regarding sexual trauma, and that’s exactly why it’s necessary to seek help.

How to Deal with Sexual Trauma?

Anyone who suffers some type of abuse must seek help to learn how to deal with and overcome sexual trauma. It is extremely important for the person to learn to express and open up, because as we mentioned earlier, the unconscious sends signals that can range from dreams to physical symptoms like constant vomiting, not to mention the countless psychological signs that affect people. For this reason, to deal with sexual trauma, the person first needs medical help. It is the psychologist who will help people take the first steps toward opening up and returning to normal social interaction. It’s important to find a psychologist who is willing to provide complete treatment and, if possible, specializes in sexuality. This not only builds greater trust but also more comfort and, consequently, greater progress in treatment. Treatment doesn’t just serve to alleviate the trauma, but also to help the person boost their self-esteem, improve their relationship with themselves and their own body, as well as improve communication and relationships with others, learn to trust, and better integrate into society.

How to Deal with Blockages?

As psychological treatment advances, the person will learn to deal with sexual, physical, and psychological blockages. At this stage, it’s very important for family and friends to be present, because support from those close to you is, undoubtedly, one of the most important aspects for the person to feel comfortable talking about their trauma. It also helps with expressing themselves and with learning or relearning how to interact socially. This isn’t an easy task, nor does it happen overnight. The role of family and friends is also to not let the person give up, feel hopeless, or think it’s better not to seek help. Relapses happen, and close ones need to be there to do what’s best for the person who has suffered sexual trauma. Unfortunately, bad things happen in our lives. In an ideal world, we would never have to discuss sexual trauma or how to handle these issues, but the truth is that they exist. And it is necessary to open up, to speak out, to seek help, and to understand that oftentimes what you’re feeling is simply a reflection of something bad that has happened to you. Wanting to be helped is a huge step toward overcoming this trauma, and being willing to open up about what you feel, your anxieties, and your fears is another step in that direction³. This isn’t something simple that will be resolved overnight. Often, it takes years of treatment for a person to regain the ease of living they had before the trauma, but it’s important for the treatment to be ongoing and for help to come not just from professionals, but also from the people close to you. This way, learning to live with the trauma will be easier and overcoming it will be a less arduous task. See also: Childhood Trauma – Actions that Have Life-Long Impacts Photo: Canon EOS 600 d

References:

1Thompson, K. M., Crosby, R. D., Wonderlich, S. A., Mitchell, J. E., Redlin, J., Demuth, G., ... & Haseltine, B. (2003). Psychopathology and sexual trauma in childhood and adulthood. Journal of Traumatic Stress: Official Publication of The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 16(1), 35-38.
2Burgess, A. W., Brown, K., Bell, K., Ledray, L. E., & Poarch, J. C. (2005). Sexual Abuse of Older Adults: Assessing for signs of a serious crime—and reporting it. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 105(10), 66-71.
3Cowan, A., Ashai, A., & Gentile, J. P. (2020). Psychotherapy with survivors of sexual abuse and assault. Innovations in clinical neuroscience, 17(1-3), 22.

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