ABSTRACT
In the United States someone is sexually assaulted every 92 seconds (RAINN, n.d.; Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2018) and, as a result, many survivors end up experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). From the moment of an assault to the stage of recovery, survivors experience a range of emotions as survivors have to cope with and overcome their experience (Mason and Lodrick, 2013). This chapter focuses on how survivors heal from sexual assault through all the stages of the potential recovery process. The chapter will explore how a survivor is impacted psychologically, physically, and legally after an assault. The responses of the legal system, which includes law enforcement, prosecutors, and sexual assault nurse examiners, will be further investigated. The healing process through treatment and recovery using various therapeutic models will also be explored. It is important for social workers to understand the process and stages of healing as many of us will encounter survivors in our practice, whether it be from a micro, advocacy/counseling angle, or a macro, policy/educational, perspective.
