Volunteering as a Sexual Assault Counselor

If you have been sexually assaulted, there is no doubt this trauma has profoundly changed your life. As you heal, grieve, and rebuild your life after a devastating occurrence like sexual assault, you may wonder about ways to reach out, give back, and advocate for other victims going through the same experience. No need to march on Washington or go to the police academy-you can volunteer as a sexual assault counselor and advocate.

Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse: Risks to Love, Marriage, and Parenthood

Abuse survivors may be understandably concerned or anxious about entering intimate relationships, especially marriage and parenthood. Psychotherapy can be a powerful tool to address our fears.

What Are Some Common Risks?

Childhood sexual abuse violated our development, our autonomy, and our bodies-or at a minimum our privacy and our personal space. We have been, in the most painfully literal way, objectified-turned into objects that seemed to exist only for the gratification of others’ desires, disregarding our own subjectivity and worth. Many of the risks for survivors are related to a disintegration of a sense of self, with integrity and boundaries.

Acting Out After Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is extremely traumatic and may lead to short- or long-term behavioral issues, known as ‘acting out’, either resulting from or concurrent with physical health issues.

Risky Sexual Behavior and Childhood Sexual Abuse Linked With Substance Abuse

Risky sexual behavior is often glorified in the media. Couples often unite in the heat of the moment, not giving a thought to their respective sexual history or the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy. When a scene shows a romantic interlude, there is no discussion about protecting against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases.

A Look at Childhood Narcissism and Consensual Incest Through Mackenzie Phillips