University Counseling Center
777-2772
Crime Victims Assistance Center
722-4256
University Health Service
777-2221
Harpur's Ferry
777-3333
High Hopes Crisis Intervention
777-4357
NYS University Police
777-2222
Judicial Affairs
777-6210
BU Ombudsman
777-2388
Planned Parenthood
723-8306
HOW TO GET HELP: INFORMATION FROM SURVIVORS

Survivor Campus/Community Resources
First Aid for Physiological Effects of Trauma
Recovery Aids for Survivors and their Loved Ones
Common Reactions To Assault
Dealing With A Traumatic Event: Stages of Coping
Practical Guide to Feeling Better
Post Trauma Do's and Don'ts

Survivor campus/community resources
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, there are many places to choose from to go for medical help, advice, counseling, filing charges, and prevention programming. These are some of the resources available in the Binghamton community.

First Aid for the physiological effects of trauma
(taken from A Handbook for Providers ( COMPSYCH)

• Drink lots of water to flush the chemical cascade.
  
• Within the first 24-48 hours, engage in periods of strenuous exercise (to sweat) alternated with relaxation.
  
• Talk about the assault/trauma – talk to anyone you trust who will listen – talk can be the most healing medicine.
  
• Reach out – people do care – spend time with others.
  
• Structure your time – keep busy.
  
• Keep your life as normal as possible.
  
• Be aware of numbing your pain – do not overuse drugs or alcohol.
  
• Give yourself permission to feel miserable and share your feelings with others.
  
• Do things that feel good to you: warm baths, relaxing music, etc.
  
• Keep a journal – write away sleepless hours.
  
• Supplement your diet with vitamins C, B2, B6, calcium and magnesium.
  
• Do make as many daily decisions as possible which will give you a feeling of control over life: if someone asks you what you want to eat, answer them even if you are not sure.
  
• Do not make big life changes.
  
• Loved ones have their own healing process that may be different from yours.
  

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Recovery aids for victims and family members
(Taken from Jacksonville Women's Center: Rape Recovery Team)

Most women who have been raped do not react to the sexual aspects of the crime, but instead they react to the terror and fear that is involved. Women and men who have been assaulted undergo a variety of emotional reactions following the trauma. Being assaulted or violated often leaves the victim with an overwhelming sense of powerlessness and fear. She or he may feel very alone, fearful, and in need of comfort and support. Remember:

1. Rape is an act of violence. Victims of rape need to allow themselves to cry and to be angry.

2. Realize that rape is a traumatic experience and confusion and distress is normal.

3. The victim needs to know that it was not her fault and that whatever she did – she did to survive!

4. Learn ways to reduce the risk of future victimization, it may help the victim to feel less vulnerable.

5. Healing is a long-term process. The rape and feelings about the rape need to be talked about and made a part of her/his total life experience.

6. Recognize that seeking help from others is a good way of dealing with the experience, not a sign of weakness.

7. The police may be able to assist the victim in many way, although there are some individuals (in law enforcement and elsewhere) who may show negative or unprofessional behavior. If that occurs the victim should bring it to the attention of that person's supervisor and/or talk about it with her counselor.

8. When you are ready, join a support group that deals with rape so you can see that you are not alone.

9. A sense of control can be restored by letting the victim decide what she wants and is capable of doing (example: phoning family or friends, setting up Dr. appointments, setting up appointments with social service agencies). Choices are very important in the recovery process.

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Common reactions to assualt
(taken from Women's Center of Jacksonville: Rape Recovery Team material)

• An assault is a traumatic experience that produces emotional shock and causes many emotional problems. This handout describes some of the common reactions people have after a trauma. Because everyone responds differently to traumas, you may have some of these reactions more than others. Please read it carefully, and think about any changes in your feelings, thoughts and behaviors since the assault.
  
• Remember, many changes after a trauma are common. In fact, 95% of rape victims have severe problems 2 weeks after the rape. About half of these women feel much better within 3 months after the rape, but the other half recover more slowly, and many do not recover enough without help. Becoming more aware of the changes you've undergone since your assault is the first step toward recovery. Some of the most common problems after a trauma are described below.
  
• Fear and anxiety are common and natural responses to a dangerous situation. For many, they last long after the assault has ended. This happens when views of the world and a sense of safety have changed. You may become anxious when you remember your assault, but sometimes anxiety may come from out of the blue. Triggers or cues that can cause anxiety may include places, times of day, certain smells or noises, or any situation that reminds you of the assault. As you begin to pay more attention to the times you feel afraid, you can discover the triggers for your anxiety. In this way, you may learn that some of the “out-of-the-blue” anxiety is really triggered by things that remind you of your assault.
  
• Reexperiencing the trauma is common among women who have been assaulted. For example, you may have unwanted thoughts of the assault, and find yourself unable to get rid of them. Some women have flashbacks, or very vivid images as if the assault is occurring again. Nightmares are also common. These symptoms occur because a traumatic experience is so shocking and so different from everyday experiences that you can't fit it into what you know about the world. So, in order to understand what happened, your mind keeps bringing the memory back, as if to try to digest it and fit it in.
  
• Increased arousal is also a common response to trauma. This includes feeling jumpy, jittery, or shaky, being easily startled; and having trouble concentrating or sleeping. Continuous arousal can lead to impatience and irritability, especially if you're not getting enough sleep. The arousal reactions are caused by the flight-or-fight responses kicking up in your body. The flight-or-fight response is the way we protect ourselves against danger, and it occurs also in animals. When we protect ourselves from danger by fighting or running away, we need a lot more energy than usual, so our bodies pump out extra adrenaline to help us get the extra energy we need to survive.
  
• People who have been assaulted often see the world as filled with danger, so their bodies are on constant alert, always ready to respond immediately to any attack. The problem is that increased arousal is useful in truly dangerous situations, such as if we find ourselves facing a tiger. But alertness becomes very uncomfortable when it continues for a long time even in safe situations. Another reaction to danger is to freeze, like a deer in headlights, and this reaction can also occur during an assault.
  
• Avoidance is a common way of managing trauma related pain. The most common type is avoiding situations that remind you of the assault, such as the place where it happened. Often situations that are less directly related to the trauma are also avoided, such as going out in the evening if you were assaulted at night. Another way to reduce discomfort is trying to push away painful thoughts and feelings. This can lead to feelings of numbness, which make it difficult for you to have either fearful or pleasant and loving feelings. Sometimes the painful thoughts or feelings may be so intense that your mind just blocks them out altogether, and you may not remember parts of the assault.
  
• Many people who have been assaulted feel angry not only at the assailant but also with others. If you are not used to feeling angry, this may seem scary. It may be especially confusing to feel angry at those who are closest to you. Sometimes people feel angry because of feeling irritable so often. Anger can also arise from a feeling that the world is not fair.
  
• Trauma often leads to feelings of guilt and shame. Many people blame themselves for things they did or didn't do to survive. For example, some women believe that they should have fought off an assailant, and blame themselves for the assault. Others feel that if they had not fought back, they wouldn't have gotten hurt. You may feel ashamed because during the assault you were forced to do something that you would not otherwise have done. Sometimes, too, other people may blame you for being assaulted. Feeling guilty about the assault means that you are taking responsibility for what your assailant did. Although this may make you feel somewhat more in control, it can also lead to feelings of helplessness and depression.
  
• Depression is also a common reaction to assault. It can include feeling down, sad, hopeless or despairing. You may cry more often. You may lose interest in people and activities you used to enjoy. You may also feel that plans you had for the future don't seem to matter any more, or that life isn't worth living. These feelings can lead to thoughts of wishing you were dead, or doing something to hurt or kill yourself. Because the assault has changed so much of how you see the world and yourself, it makes sense to feel sad and to grieve for what you lost because of the assault.
  
• Self-image often becomes more negative after an assault. You may tell yourself, “If I hadn't been so weak or stupid, this wouldn't have happened to me.” Many women see themselves more negatively overall after the assault (“I am a bad person and deserved this”).
  
• It is also very common to see others and the world more negatively, and to feel that you can't trust anyone. If you used to think about the world as a safe place, the assault suddenly makes you think that the world is dangerous. If you had previous bad experiences, the assault convinces you that the world id dangerous and others aren't to be trusted. These negative thoughts often make women feel they have been changed completely by the assault. Relationships with others, even the ones you love most can become tense, and it is difficult to become intimate with people as your trust decreases. In fact, you may find that the people closest to you are not supportive of you, or have difficulty hearing about your assault.
  
• Sexual relationships may also suffer after a traumatic experience. Many women find it difficult to feel sexual or have sexual relationships. This is especially true for women who have been sexually assaulted, since in addition to the lack of trust, sex itself is a reminder of the assault.

Many of the reactions to trauma are connected to one another. For example, a flashback may make you feel out of control, and will therefore produce fear and arousal. Many women think that their common reactions to the trauma mean that they are “going crazy” or “losing it.”

These thoughts can make them even more fearful. Again, as you become aware of the changes you have gone through since the assault, and as you process these experiences during treatment, the symptoms should become less distressing.

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Dealing with a traumatic event: Stages of Coping
Taken from A Handbook for Providers(COMPSYCH)

People will go through predictable stages when dealing with grief and loss. The following is an outline of these stages:

FIRST STAGE: DENIAL & ISOLATION
This is the initial shock reaction so common when people experience a traumatic event. They often think, “No, it's not true.” Disbelief is a common reaction. These initial responses are a temporary defense and will be replaced by partial acceptance.

SECOND STAGE: ANGER
Once the shock of the event has subsided, people often think, “Why me?” “Why was I involved in this?” It's common to react with anger, rage and resentment. This anger can also be displaced onto family members, friends and co-workers. People find they are more irritable in this stage.

THIRD STAGE: BARGAINING
This is an attempt to postpone grieving. Most bargains are made with a personal supreme being. People may hope to be rewarded for good behavior.

FOURTH STAGE: DEPRESSION
Anger and rage are replaced by a great sense of loss. Again, it is a normal reaction in the grieving process. It's typical to feel sadness after a stressful and traumatic event.

FIFTH STAGE: ACCEPTANCE
This is when people finally face and accept what has happened. This usually happens after people have worked through the previous stages.

Sometimes the circumstances surrounding a traumatic event make the grieving process more difficult. For example, a sudden death may be the most traumatic. Also, it can be devastating to deal with the death of young person. Unnatural deaths, (through violence or murder) make the grieving process extremely painful. The survivors have feelings of guilt and helplessness. It's common for them to ask, “Why couldn't I have done something?” This is referred to as “survivor's guilt.”

An important point through all these stages is to allow yourself time to process the situation and to talk through the various feelings you may experience. A person may be swept by a wide range of emotions in a very short time. It's also true that not everyone experiences the grieving process in the order shown above.

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Practical guide to feeling better
Taken from A Handbook for Providers(COMPSYCH)

FIND SOMEONE YOU TRUST
Talk with a family member or close friend about your experience. Don't carry this burden alone; share it with someone who cares about you. Contact a friend and have someone stay with you for a few hours or a day.

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO FEEL WHAT YOU'RE FEELING
Express your feelings as they arise. Take time to cry if needed.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Get enough rest and eat regularly. If you are irritable or tense from lack of sleep or if you aren't eating correctly, you'll be less able to deal with a stressful situation.

MAKE AS MANY DAILY DECISION AS POSSIBLE
This will give you a feeling of control over your life. Know your limits. If the problem is beyond your control and cannot be changed, don't fight the situation.

PRACTICE RELAXATION AND/OR MEDITATION
Create a quiet scene. You can't always run away, but you can hold a vision in your mind – a quiet scene or walking along the beach can temporarily take you out of the turmoil of a stressful situation.

PLAY SOFT BACKGROUD MUSIC
At home and in your office or car, provide a soothing alternative to the hustle and bustle of the office, noisy telephones, or traffic.

MAINTAIN AS NORMAL A SCHEDULE AS POSSIBLE

TAKE ONE THING AT A TIME
For people under tension, an ordinary workload can sometimes seem unbearable. The load looks so great that it becomes painful to tackle any part of it. When this happens, remember that it's a temporary condition and you can work your way out of it … one step at a time.

ALLOW TIME FOR A TASK
This will help reduce some of your self-imposed time pressure. If you normally plan half an hour to get a job done by rushing through it, schedule 45 minutes or an hour so you can do the job more deliberately and thoughtfully. This can only improve your quality of work. Give your best effort, but don't be hard on yourself if you can't achieve the impossible.

SPRUCE UP YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Keep a beautiful bouquet of flowers at home or in the office. Surround yourself with plants that you like. Make your environment one you enjoy.

ESCAPE FOR A WHILE
Whether it's a brief trip, a change of scene, or losing yourself in a book or movie, this escape may give you the chance to put things in perspective. Then you will be more composed and able to deal with things when you return.

If these coping strategies don't seem to be effective in reducing your stress reactions, you may want to seek professional counseling.

Post traumas do's and don'ts
Taken from A Handbook for Providers(COMPSYCH)

DON'T • Don't drink alcohol excessively. • Don't use drugs or alcohol to numb feelings. • Don't withdraw from significant others. • Don't reduce leisure activities. • Don't stay away from work. • Don't increase caffeine intake. • Don't have unrealistic expectations for recovery. • Don't look for easy answers. • Don't take on new major projects. • Don't pretend everything is okay. • Don't make majo r changes if you don't need to.

DO • Do get enough rest. • Do maintain a good diet and exercise program. • Do follow a familiar routine. • Do talk to supportive peers and family about the incident. • Do take on things at a time. • Do attend meetings regarding this traumatic event. • Do spend time with family and friends. • Do create a serene place where you can escape, either in your imagination or in reality. • Do expect the experience to bother you. • Do seek professional help if your symptoms persist.