Unfortunately, it is more likely than not that we all know at least one person that has experienced sexual abuse in some form. It is extremely hard to watch someone we care about go through these experiences and we always wish there was something we could do to help our loved ones through these situations.
It is important to spread awareness and share the warning signs of someone that may have been abused. Some of these warning signs can be caused by other issues in someone’s life but it is always better to check-in and be wrong than to let the person you care about deal with the effects of sexual assault.
If you have noticed the following warning signs in a loved one or friend, it’s definitely worth reaching out!
- Signs of depression, such as persistent sadness, lack of energy, and changes in sleep or appetite.
- Constantly feeling down or skipping out on normal activities.
- Low self-esteem.
- Sexually transmitted infections.
- Anxiety or worry about typical situations that they might have not shown anxiety towards in the past.
- Avoiding certain situations, places, or people.
- Falling behind in work or school.
- Skipping work or dropping classes.
- Increase in drug or alcohol use.
If you have a loved one that is showing any of the signs, take the time to check in with them and have a conversation about what is going on. You will never regret checking with them, but you would regret it if you did not and they were going through an abusive situation.
