It will never stop amazing me that sooooooo many people believe that every sexual assault follows a "script".We have no idea what happened but the
It will never stop amazing me that sooooooo many people believe that every sexual assault follows a “script”.
We have no idea what happened but the fanfiction from people ready to attack the victim is so dark and evil. Too many people pretending to be psychic without basic knowledge about human beings and human behavior.
A Survivor may reassure herself: Maybe it wasn’t that bad. Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe he didn’t mean it that way. I’m okay. I can handle this. That can be part of trying to regain psychological footing after something frightening or confusing. Minimizing, compartmentalizing, feeling numb, continuing with ordinary routines, or struggling to name what happened can all occur after trauma.
And yes, a Survivor may also reassure or appease the person who harmed her. She might speak kindly, hug him, text afterward, say she is okay, try to calm him, remain with him, or continue a relationship. In trauma literature, appeasement is sometimes discussed alongside defensive survival responses such as fight, flight, freeze, and tonic immobility. The exact terminology varies, and no single response should be treated as universal.
Listen to Survivors.
