Sexual assault and anxiety: How we can better support young people

A key priority at Brook this year is to explore, recognise and respond to the link between sexual health and mental health. In this blog, Hannah Murden, Brook’s Service Development Administrator, talks about the link between sexual assault and anxiety and how we can better support young people.

When it comes to young people’s emotional and sexual wellbeing, one aspect that might have an ongoing negative impact is anxiety. Whilst anxiety is a natural part of life and has many causes, it can become challenging if it lasts a long time and impacts the ability to function and enjoy life.

Trauma and in particular sexual assault and trauma can increase the challenges around anxiety.

A recent study, published by Rape Crisis, found that teenagers who have been sexually assaulted are more likely than their peers to develop problems with their mental health, including an increased instance of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.

Previously, research has often explored the effects of sexual assault for adults, but with teenagers and their still-developing brains, it is becoming more evident that experiencing traumatic events presents a different set of implications. Whilst acknowledging that individual young people’s experiences of sexual assault vary and that some young people experience less severe challenges, the study showed that for those who already live with poor mental health, it worsened. Performance and attendance at school was negatively impacted and overall mental and physical health symptoms were higher than the average for the general population.

Young people also reported that they often felt like their school didn’t know how to support them.

In instances where the person who assaulted them was another pupil, schools were sometimes unable to exclude them during the investigation. This often caused anxiety for the student who had been assaulted and, consequently, led to them removing themselves instead. The anxiety surrounding the assault and aftermath is often worsened by lack of sleep, which increased anxiety levels and left many young people trapped in this cycle for at least a year before any reduction of symptoms was reported.

For young people who are living with anxiety as a result of this kind of trauma, it isn’t just their school life that can be impacted but their overall sexual wellbeing.

It is often assumed that someone who has been sexually assaulted will be triggered by sex and be avoidant. While some young people in these circumstances may struggle with relationships, enjoying sex, and experience a lack of sexual desire, some may feel the opposite way, which is called hypersexuality.

Hypersexuality may negatively impact a person’s health by causing them to be more likely to engage in risky behaviours, such as unprotected sex which makes them more vulnerable to exposure to STIs and unplanned pregnancy. Hypersexuality can also cause a person to use drugs and alcohol which further lowers inhibitions and can lead people to ignore personal boundaries and engage in more unsafe sex.

So how can we help young people who are struggling with anxiety because of sexual trauma?

At Brook, every member of staff completes mandatory training on trauma-informed practice.

This means that when it comes to interacting with young people, for example in a clinic, we strive to create a safe environment while keeping in mind that accessing our services could be triggering and rather than reacting to their current behaviour, we must appreciate the complexity of their experiences and not solely react to their outward behaviour.

This also means that when a young person approaches us who has been sexually assaulted, it is important that we don’t make assumptions about how they are feeling. We communicate without judgement while making sure that they are appropriately safeguarded and protected, and that they get the help they need.

The trauma-informed training emphasises how people’s reactions to an incident will differ and there is no set response or timeline when it comes to the effects of a traumatic incident. Brook’s trauma-informed practice training is working towards acknowledging the individual, whether that be people who visit our clinics or our colleagues, and raising this awareness of the diversity of experience surrounding trauma helps us to work towards a more compassionate and understanding space for all.

Although there are avenues of support for those who have experienced sexual trauma, reducing the incidence of these events will always be the goal so that young people can live freely, happily, and healthily. Our education services educate young people about mental and sexual wellbeing so they have the tools and resilience to handle their health and are aware of where they can turn to if they need help.

Through our comprehensive RSE materials, Brook highlights to young people, parents and teachers the importance of subjects like consent, harmful sexual behaviours and pleasure, striving to provide young people with the knowledge to communicate enthusiastic consent, advocate for themselves and to be mindful of other people’s boundaries and experiences.

Ultimately everyone’s experience of mental wellbeing and how it links to sex and sexual health is unique.

When working with young people, it’s vital that we create a non-judgemental space without making assumptions. This allows us to see the full picture of someone’s experience and ensure the support we provide is as helpful and relevant as it can be for their individual needs.