Author: I Have The Right To Team

Many survivors of sexual assault are confused by how they acted during the assault itself. 

The truth is that there is no correct response to being sexually assaulted. It is also helpful to know the common responses that our bodies and brains have to trauma. When the human brain recognizes a threat, the autonomic nervous system reacts, releasing hormones that trigger physical changes to our bodies to protect us. These reactions are usually characterized in four ways – fight, flight, freeze, and fawn:

Supporting a survivor through their recovery from sexual assault can feel scary, uncertain, or daunting. Though no two journeys are identical, there are general stages of recovery that caregivers should be aware of. 

As you spend time learning about each one, keep in mind that recovery is rarely a linear process. A survivor who is in the third stage of recovery may go back to stage one or two in response to a life event, memory, or uncovered emotion. 

Following a sexual assault, your child will display a range of behaviors and emotions. In some cases, these behaviors are symptoms of a broader diagnosis: post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD. 

PTSD is a condition of mental and emotional stress in someone who experienced trauma themselves, someone who witnessed it firsthand, or someone who had it happen to someone they love. Though it is often associated with combat veterans, PTSD can happen to any survivor of trauma. In fact, it’s more common than you might think. It is estimated that 1 in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their lives.

Alex Prout, the father of high school survivor, Chessy Prout and Co-Founder of the national nonprofit I Have The Right To Org Inc., spoke in Hong Kong at the Women’s Foundation of Hong Kong Gala annual fundraising gala event. Prout discussed the pursuit of gender equality in a thought-provoking panel discussion and why he became a Male Ally.

Under the theme of “Rising Voices”, it was a memorable night to recognize and celebrate courageous voices coming together in the pursuit of gender equality.

This year, as part of the Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent, we are opening up the event to parents. The program is on November 17th from 9 – 4:15 at GDS, and for $35/person, parents can sign up to attend (parents can sign up as an “extra registrant” and put “parent” as their title). If the cost is prohibitive, we have some flexibility – parents can contact me directly.

The program is available to both GDS parents as well as parents outside of our community – parents are welcome to share these links widely. (This year, we have schools from Connecticut, New York, and Georgia attending, as well as local schools!).