Using Stories to Encourage Hope and Connection in Sexual Assault Survivors

Introduction Every two minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. That means that 1 in every 3 women and 1 in every 33 men are sexually assaulted within their lifetime. Survivors of sexual assault are 3 times more likely to suffer from depression, 6 times more likely to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs and 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide. Sexual assault is an issue that drastically affects millions of Americans, yet is rarely talked about. Survivors of sexual assault are often left feeling hopeless, depressed, numb and many other intense emotions. (RAINN, 2009) Background: Purpose There are many aspects of sexual assault, but the goal of this project is the encourage hope and meaning in survivors of sexual assault. Hopefulness minimizes the individual's perception of the severity of their current adversity and grants them a sense of the possibility of overcoming their challenges. Higher levels of hope strengthen an individual's determination to achieve their goal. Those with more hope are more likely to do better in healing programs, such as drug rehabilitation (Kortte, Stevenson, Hosey, Castillo, Wegener, 2012). When facing a tremendous adversity, such as sexual assault, having hope can make a huge difference on healing. Holding the belief that it is possible to feel better will give a survivor the strength necessary to go through the painful healing process. Frankl's theory says that when desired, meaning can be found in the most desolate situations where suffering is inevitable. The one thing that cannot be taken away is the freedom to choose your attitude (Frankl, 1959). For survivors who are ready, sharing their story can provide meaning. Erikson's notion of generativity refers to the feeling of leaving your mark on the world as a better place. Sharing their story on a site that provides hope to others currently struggling gives survivors meaning and a sense of purpose for this difficult event (Erikson, 2000). As an added benefit, those who are seeking a greater understanding of the topic can be exposed to these stories. Empathy is a multidimensional emotion, so using the correct perspective is vital. There is a significant difference between the perspectives taken in, " How would I feel if I was in this situation? " and " How does this person feel in this situation? " In the first perspective, the individual experiences both empathy and personal …