When sexual abusers and perpetrators of sexual assault are exposed, they quickly go into damage control mode. Damage control tactics helps them reinforce their own denial and distance them from the accuser’s pain. Damage control also helps them to protect their families and their family’s image of who they are in a myopic way as if the abuse/assault is only about and their family.
Famous damage control tactics include:
- Denial
- Twisting/sidestepping the facts
- Minimizing the problem
- Lying/deception
- Blame shifting
- Soliciting sympathy for themselves
- Obligating others to support them
- Paint themselves as a victim
- They will say the sex was consensual; that s/he wanted it or s/he didn’t say, “no.”
Those of us who have survived sexual violence/assault/trauma can become deeply affected when we’re exposed to a lot of content about that issue. That’s what’s happening right now. We’re seeing a lot of coverage of sexual assaults involving political and entertainment figures this week. Much of this amplifies what victims are told: we lie, we make it up, it’s our fault, and besides if it happened it wasn’t that bad anyway.
It’s difficult.
Here are some timely resources for sexual violence survivors and the people who love them.
Tips Self-Care When Consuming Media
https://rainn.org/articles/tips-survivors-consuming-media
Managing Flashbacks
https://rainn.org/articles/flashbacks
Self care for Loved Ones
https://www.rainn.org/articles/self-care-friends-and-family
Every survivor has different methods of self-care and managing the effects of sexual violence. Explore to find the ways that work best for you and remember, the National Sexual Assault Hotline is available for support: 800.656.HOPE & http://online.rainn.org .
