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Goals for Rape Victims in Counseling

Rape is a terrible crime that involves the sexual assault of a person by a perpetrator who does not have the consent of the victim. It can often be a violent act that leaves the victim physically, emotionally and mentally harmed. Counseling is one way for victims to deal with the consequences of the rape.

  1. Emotional Healing

    • To help rape victims overcome the emotional trauma of their ordeal, The National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center suggests the use of cognitive processing therapy (CPT). This type of therapy encourages the client to confront any maladaptive thoughts or behaviors, such as self-harm, that resulted from the rape. CPT helps victims deal with their negative emotions and try to develop a healthier outlook on the world. CPT usually requires multiple sessions.

    Social Issues

    • For some rape victims, certain types of triggers, such as dark streets, crowds, specific smells or anything that reminds them of the rape can cause high levels of anxiety or panic attacks. Multiple channel exposure therapy helps victims overcome their fears by confronting their environmental stressors. This is a physiological type of therapy that instructs patients to induce panic symptoms (such as muscle tensing or hyperventilation due to their feared environment) and then work to control these sensations. The goal of exposure therapy is for victims to recognize that their environment cannot harm them like they fear.

    Body Memories

    • In addition to the physical trauma of the actual rape, many rape victims experience a phenomena called "body memories," when the body exhibits problems that cannot be medically explained. These body memories can include headaches, insomnia, digestive problems or body aches. Since body memories are most likely caused by stress, counseling can help victims reduce their level of stress and improve their physical well-being.

    Holistic Healing

    • Holistic healing is the idea that the mind, body and spirit all work together for a healthy being. Some types of therapies that can help rape victims who are open to the idea of holistic healing include meditation, yoga, art therapy, aromatherapy and creative writing. Counseling that uses holistic therapies can help a victim create a sense of control and inner calmness that can help them work through their issues.

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