P.O. Box 621, DeKalb, IL 60115
Hotline: 815-756-5228
In Sandwich: 815-786-6333
Jobs  |  Mission Statement

Rape Trauma Syndrome

First Stage: Pre-Assault

• Not always experienced by every victim.
• Some may experience a feeling that something is amiss.
• May feel apprehensive prior to the assault.
• Often these feelings are ignored.

Second Stage: The Assault

• Occurs during the assault.
• Characterized by physical and emotional shock.
• May experience sense of unreality.
• May describe the sensation of leaving their body or disassociation.
• May feel paralysis, wanting to scream but nothing will come out.
• May be able to clearly remember every little detail of what happened.

Third Stage: The Acute Phase

• Begins after the assault and may last anywhere from several days to several weeks.
• Characterized by shock and disbelief.
• Thoughts may be disorganized.
• May experience a wide range of physical and emotional reactions.

Fourth Stage: The Recoil Phase

• Begins several days or weeks after the assault, and lasts for months or years.
• May never move beyond this phase.
• Characterized by "wanting to be normal again."
• Likely to refuse counseling or to talk about the assault.

Final Stage: Resolution and Reorganization

• Begins when the victim realizes that s/he must face his/her feelings about the assault.
• Something may trigger the victim to make him/her feel like the assault had just happened.
• Moves onto a period of crisis.
• Re-thinks emotions and reactions.
• Process may take several weeks to a year.