The Consequences of Sexual Violence

Young victims of sexual violence are significantly more at risk of exhibiting:

• Post-traumatic stress symptoms (nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance behaviors, hypervigilance).
• Anxiety symptoms (fear, nervousness, hypersensitivity).
• Depression symptoms (bad mood, negative self-evaluation, difficulty experiencing pleasure).
• Aggressive behaviors (disrespect, opposition, lying, theft, unjustified aggressive words and gestures toward others, bullying).
• Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.
• Self-harming behaviors (lacerating skin, severely scratching skin, burning skin).
• Symptoms of dissociation and depersonalization (feeling of unreality or disconnection from one’s body).

Young people with a history of sexual violence engage more often in risky behaviors such as:

• Substance abuse.
• Multiple sexual partners (increased risk of sexually transmitted infections).
• Exchanging sexual acts to meet needs (housing, money, clothing, transportation).
• Aggression and violence in relationships.
• Running away (nearly twice as likely).

Young people who have been victims of sexual violence are more at risk of experiencing a teenage pregnancy:

• Girls who are victims of sexual assault are 2.2 times more likely than their non-victim peers to become pregnant.
• Boys who are victims of sexual assault are more likely than their non-victim peers to cause a pregnancy.

Young victims of sexual violence are more at risk than non-victims to present a series of physical health problems (obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiopulmonary symptoms, diabetes, gynecological problems).

These consequences can lead to major disruptions in the mental development trajectory of young people and often have long-term repercussions, potentially leading to dysfunction and significant distress in adulthood.