Aug 4, 2021
**TRIGGER WARNING** This episode covers sensitive subject matter and is not suitable for all listeners. If this topic could be a trigger for you, listen to this episode with a friend, a sibling, a loved one or a parent so you can talk about any emotions that come up for you. The contents of this episode are not intended to replace therapy and should not be taken as such. If you need immediate help, please call the crisis hotline listed below in our resources.
In this week’s episode, I speak with Anna Smith, who was a victim of sexual assault in highschool.
Anna shares with us the painful truths of life after sexual assault, and how she has been navigating her wave of emotions.
She also explains how her friend group was not supportive and didn’t believe her, which is often an unfortunate common story heard with victims of sexual assault.
Listen in as we talk about:
- How her sexual assault happened
- How she found the inner strength to tell her therapist and parents
- Ways she shifted from blame to self acceptance and empowerment
- How she navigated friends and people who didn’t believe her story
- Her tips for learning to love yourself again after being assaulted
Additional Resources:
- Read the Be Strong Be Wise Series by therapist and author Amy Carpenter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HCHN9YF?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_0&storeType=ebooks
- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VQDYDB2?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref_=dbs_mng_calw_1&storeType=ebooks
Youth Hotlines:
- The nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization: https://www.rainn.org
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Call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
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- When you call 800.656.HOPE (4673), you’ll be routed to a local RAINN affiliate organization based on the first six digits of your phone number. Cell phone callers have the option to enter the ZIP code of their current location to more accurately locate the nearest sexual assault service provider.
Additional resources:
Do you need help working something out? Do you want to talk to someone who understands, like another teen?
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USA Youth Resources:
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Text "TEEN" to 839863. Peer counselors are available from 6:00pm to 9:00pm PST
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CALL (310) 855-HOPE / (310) 855-4673 or (800) TLC-TEEN / (800) 852-8336 toll-free in the United States and Canada. Open from 6pm to 10pm PST every night
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USA: 1-800-273-8255
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USA Crisis Text:741-741
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Canada: 1-833-456-4566
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United Kingdom: 116 123
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Australia: 13 11 14
- International suicide hotlines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines
Connect with Anna
here:
Connect with Susan