Being a survivor of sexual violence can be an incredibly difficult road. It’s paramount you have clear and accurate information on the distinctions between rape and sexual assault as defined by law. This understanding helps you navigate any legal processes you may choose to seek against the offender. Remember – no matter how these experiences...
Rape vs. Sexual Assault: What Survivors Need to Know
Safety Plan for Domestic Violence: How to Leave Your Abuser
Domestic violence encompasses a range of abusive behaviors that occur within relationships, affecting individuals across diverse backgrounds and communities. Domestic violence—both within romantic relationships and within families—is a prevalent issue in the United States, impacting approximately ten million individuals on an annual basis. Statistics reveal that up to one in four women and one in...
Why is it So Hard to Leave an Abusive Relationship?
Every year more than 10 million Americans experience violence within their romantic relationships [1]. Domestic violence impacts heterosexual couples as well as the LGBTQ community and both men and women. When someone is repeatedly hurt by a romantic partner, it seems like the victim would decide to end the abusive relationship. However, it’s difficult to...
Covert Sexual Abuse: What You Need to Know
A teacher makes a comment about their student looking “really good in that outfit.” A mother cries to her teenager, saying she “hasn’t had sex with your father in years and I’m lonely.” An aunt shares intimate details of her sex life with her young niece on multiple occasions. Aside from the vile nature of...
What is a DV Survivor?
Domestic violence (DV) is a scary and very real part of some relationships. It can also be referred to as intimate partner violence, or IPV. Alarming statistics show that over 10 million people in the USA experience domestic violence per year [1]. This comes out to 24 people per minute experiencing these dangerous situations....
Overcoming the Trauma of Sibling Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is an unfortunately common form of trauma We often think of sexual abuse as an adult perpetrator abusing a minor, or an adult perpetrator abusing another adult, but sibling sexual abuse is another form of abuse and trauma that people are not aware of.
Trauma Bond vs. Love: Everything You Need to Know
Relationships are all around us, whether our friends we connect with to vent, our family we see on holidays, someone we’re dating, or the people we work with. While relationships can take on many forms, there are relationships that can be more difficult, such as abusive relationships or emotional attachments we’ve created through trauma...
How Do You Deal With Sexual Trauma and Not Wanting to Be Touched?
Understanding how trauma manifests in the body increases self-awareness especially when identifying triggers. When you understand how your trauma manifests and what your triggers are then you can begin to practice coping skills.
Is Molestation Considered Sexual Abuse?
Molestation is a term commonly associated with unwanted and inappropriate physical contact, often of a sexual nature.[1] This behavior can range from inappropriate touching to more serious acts like rape or sexual battery, and it is generally perceived as a violation of personal boundaries. The term itself, however, can vary in its interpretations, although many...
Sexual Abuse in Marriage: Yes, it DOES Exist
Sexual abuse in marriage is controversial, as people believe such an occurrence would not happen. Additionally, sexual violence and physical aggression in marriages have fallen into a legal gray area until recent years. Sadly, “in sickness and in health” does not exempt someone from experiencing an abusive relationship, even at the hands of someone they had previously trusted.
ARTICLES & INSIGHTS ON
SEXUAL ABUSE
27Feb 2026Rachael Goldstein
Rape vs. Sexual Assault: What Survivors Need to Know
Being a survivor of sexual violence can be an incredibly difficult road. It’s paramount you have clear and accurate information on the distinctions between rape and sexual assault as defined by law. This understanding helps you navigate any legal processes you may choose to seek against the offender. Remember – no matter how these experiences […]
26Feb 2026Zack Ehrmann MAEd, LMHC, LPC
Safety Plan for Domestic Violence: How to Leave Your Abuser
Domestic violence encompasses a range of abusive behaviors that occur within relationships, affecting individuals across diverse backgrounds and communities. Domestic violence—both within romantic relationships and within families—is a prevalent issue in the United States, impacting approximately ten million individuals on an annual basis. Statistics reveal that up to one in four women and one in […]
23Feb 2026Elizabeth McDade
Why is it So Hard to Leave an Abusive Relationship?
Every year more than 10 million Americans experience violence within their romantic relationships [1]. Domestic violence impacts heterosexual couples as well as the LGBTQ community and both men and women. When someone is repeatedly hurt by a romantic partner, it seems like the victim would decide to end the abusive relationship. However, it’s difficult to […]
19Feb 2026Olivia Alvizo-Johnson, LMSW
Covert Sexual Abuse: What You Need to Know
A teacher makes a comment about their student looking “really good in that outfit.” A mother cries to her teenager, saying she “hasn’t had sex with your father in years and I’m lonely.” An aunt shares intimate details of her sex life with her young niece on multiple occasions. Aside from the vile nature of […]
17Feb 2026Alyssa Biestek
What is a DV Survivor?
Domestic violence (DV) is a scary and very real part of some relationships. It can also be referred to as intimate partner violence, or IPV. Alarming statistics show that over 10 million people in the USA experience domestic violence per year [1]. This comes out to 24 people per minute experiencing these dangerous situations. […]
14Feb 2026Alyssa Biestek
Overcoming the Trauma of Sibling Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is an unfortunately common form of trauma We often think of sexual abuse as an adult perpetrator abusing a minor, or an adult perpetrator abusing another adult, but sibling sexual abuse is another form of abuse and trauma that people are not aware of.
12Feb 2026Alyssa Biestek
Trauma Bond vs. Love: Everything You Need to Know
Relationships are all around us, whether our friends we connect with to vent, our family we see on holidays, someone we’re dating, or the people we work with. While relationships can take on many forms, there are relationships that can be more difficult, such as abusive relationships or emotional attachments we’ve created through trauma […]
10Feb 2026Rychel Johnson, LCPC
How Do You Deal With Sexual Trauma and Not Wanting to Be Touched?
Understanding how trauma manifests in the body increases self-awareness especially when identifying triggers. When you understand how your trauma manifests and what your triggers are then you can begin to practice coping skills.
09Feb 2026Zack Ehrmann MAEd, LMHC, LPC
Is Molestation Considered Sexual Abuse?
Molestation is a term commonly associated with unwanted and inappropriate physical contact, often of a sexual nature.[1] This behavior can range from inappropriate touching to more serious acts like rape or sexual battery, and it is generally perceived as a violation of personal boundaries. The term itself, however, can vary in its interpretations, although many […]
05Feb 2026Rychel Johnson, LCPC
Sexual Abuse in Marriage: Yes, it DOES Exist
Sexual abuse in marriage is controversial, as people believe such an occurrence would not happen. Additionally, sexual violence and physical aggression in marriages have fallen into a legal gray area until recent years. Sadly, “in sickness and in health” does not exempt someone from experiencing an abusive relationship, even at the hands of someone they had previously trusted.
03Feb 2026Zack Ehrmann MAEd, LMHC, LPC
How Stigma Impacts Survivors of Sexual Trauma
Survivors of sexual trauma are often forced to grapple with the profound impact of stigma and shame on their journey towards healing. The societal stigma surrounding sexual assault can lead to a culture of silence, discouraging survivors from disclosing their experiences due to fears around judgment or disbelief. Such experiences contribute to victim-blaming, where survivors […]
02Feb 2026Rachael Goldstein
What is Sexual Battery?
Sexual battery can be a traumatic and life-altering experience. If you have been the victim of sexual battery, it's crucial to know your rights and the available options to seek the help you need and deserve.
30Jan 2026Rachael Goldstein
Am I Being Sexually Harassed at Work?
It's important to know what constitutes sexual harassment so that you can identify it and take necessary steps against such misconduct.
24Sep 2025Lark
Can an Abusive Relationship Be Fixed?
Navigating an abusive relationship can be an overwhelmingly painful journey that leaves you mending your wounds for months or even years. And even when you’ve come to terms with the fact that the relationship isn’t just unhealthy –it’s abusive– you may question whether or not the relationship can be saved. This is especially common in […]
20Aug 2025Rychel Johnson, LCPC
Sexual Abuse and Hypersexuality: a Complex Relationship
The relationship between sexual abuse and hypersexuality, or heightened sexual desire, is intricate and not always straightforward. Childhood sexual abuse is traumatic and can profoundly affect victims and cause dysfunction as an individual seeks out healthy relationships. One long-lasting effect of sexual trauma is the development of hypersexuality, also known as sexual addiction. Becoming hypersexual […]
TRENDING NOW
12Feb 2026Alyssa Biestek
Trauma Bond vs. Love: Everything You Need to Know
Relationships are all around us, whether our friends we connect with to vent, our family we see on holidays, someone we’re dating, or the people we work with. While relationships can take on many forms, there are relationships that can be more difficult, such as abusive relationships or emotional attachments we’ve created through trauma […]
24Nov 2025Zack Ehrmann MAEd, LMHC, LPC
Hypervigilance from Emotional Abuse: What You Need To Know
There are many pervasive and pernicious harms suffered by those affected by emotional abuse, which is a form of relational abuse that includes all of the non-physical behaviors intended to minimize your sense of self and autonomy. Hypervigilance, or a state of increased alertness accompanied by behavior that aims to prevent potential danger, is an […]
19Sep 2025Elizabeth McDade
Enmeshment Trauma: When Love Becomes Suffocating
According to family systems theory, relationships between parents and children are naturally interconnected and influence one another. In order to support the well-being and healthy development of young children, the family system needs healthy psychological boundaries between family members. These boundaries help family members distinguish themselves from each other. Healthy boundaries also evolve as children […]
30Aug 2025Rychel Johnson, LCPC
Is Constantly Apologizing a Trauma Response from Emotional Abuse?
In an emotionally abusive relationship, over-apologizing is recognized as a response created over time to reduce or prevent the abusive partner from causing further harm. Outside of the context of the relationship, the emotional abuse victim will often continue to be overly apologetic even in situations that do not warrant apologies, which significantly impacts a […]
09Aug 2025Alyssa Biestek
My Husband Hit Me. What Do I Do?
Being hurt physically by a partner or spouse is frightening, confusing, and hurtful. Unfortunately, abusive marriages and relationships are more common than they should be. The National Domestic Violence Hotline website shares that around 24 individuals per minute are victims of some sort of physical violence or physical abuse by someone they are in a […]
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