Mental Health and Sexual Assault and/or Abuse – #metoo – PART 1

Mental Health and Sexual Assault have become hot topics in recent news! With all of the allegations of men of power in Hollywood sexually abusing and assaulting women, a new hashtag, #metoo, came about for women (and men) to tell people, via social media, that they have also been sexually harassed, abused, or assaulted. Situations like this can cause extreme mental health problems, even if the abuse or assault occurred years ago.

At least 90 percent of sexual abuse victims are women, according to psychology.com. As many as one in six women will be raped during her lifetime, and many more will face other forms of sexual assault, such as unwanted touching or sexualized threats online. Terri Clinton Dichiser Overland Park, Kansas, has provided exceptional mental health services for 18 years, among many other services for individuals, couples, and families since 1990. Terri is proud to be certified by Dr. Lissa Rankin’s Whole Health Medicine Institute and being a ‘brain-wise’ therapist, she applies both neuroscience and neuropsychology when working with clients.

According to psychology.com, most data suggests that women experience mental health problems at rates significantly higher than men. One of the obvious culprits: women live in a society that continually exposes them to trauma and reminds them of their powerlessness. Research has repeatedly linked exposure to discrimination to stress and mental illness.

Media attention has focused on the epidemic of post-traumatic stress disorder and mental illness among military veterans. Additionally, rape and sexual assault are some of the most common cause of PTSD. Data suggests that anywhere from 30 to 80 percent of sexual assault survivors develop PTSD. Terri provides mental health counseling in a safe, comfortable environment, without any fear of judgment.

#MeToo is such a powerful social media hashtag precisely because it makes it hard to look away from a problem that has long remained in the shadows.

Ask women and many of them will report stories of harassment even though they never shared before. Sharing harassment, assault or abuse is a complex decision. Who do they tell, will they be believed, will they lose a job, colleagues or friends, will they be viewed as week and acknowledged for having endured a trauma. Just because a woman doesn’t come forward doesn’t mean she’s not a survivor. Some women prefer to remain private. This can be detrimental to a person’s mental health.

Assault survivors aren’t other people; they’re our daughters, our mothers, our loved ones.

(Part 2 of this blog will post later this month.)

Take Charge, Inc. is located in Overland Park, KS. Click Here to send us an email or call with your questions and our staff will give you all the information you need about our services.