Rape Trauma Syndrome

Professionals who help survivors of sexual assault have found that the trauma of the assault or attempted assault can be very severe. Many survivors have similar reactions, and they call these reactions, “Rape Trauma Syndrome” (RTS).

Rape Trauma Syndrome is an acute stress reaction to a sexual assault, and to the threat of being killed or seriously injured, resulting from either an attempted or completed sexual assault.

For support, talk to your partner, family, friends, an advocate at a sexual assault crisis center, or call the Virginia Family Violence & Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-838-8238(v/tty).