6 ways dogs can help sexual assault survivors

Angela, Cloud Doodles Founder at Bard College Slut Walk 2013

April is sexual assault awareness month. As a woman, this is an issue that has had a profound effect on me and the women who are dear to me. When I was at Bard College, I volunteered as a peer counselor for our rape crisis hotline, which exposed me to the realities of sexual assault and the deep impact it has on individuals, families, and communities.

Sexual violence against women is particularly disturbing considering centuries long patriarchal systems that have deemed women as property.  For much of modern history, violence against women has been fueled by unfair power dynamics as well as misogynistic cultural views. I do not know a single woman who has not been sexually harassed or assaulted whether it’s been catcalled on the streets, have had their bodies touched in public environments, been coerced into sexual acts or straight up raped. The fear of sexual harassment or assault is a burden women carry with them from the time they are told to be careful of where they walk or what they wear. It is very much a prominent and deeply embedded cultural, political, and systemic issue that needs to be addressed worldwide.

 In this blog post, we will look at facts and stats, the impact of sexual violence and will move into how our canine friends can help survivors in their healing process.

Prevalence of sexual violence:

1. According to WHO, nearly 1 in 3 women (30%) worldwide have been sexually assaulted. Of those about 7% have experienced raped.

2. Sexual assault against men is also prevalent, but difficult to provide general rates because it is so drastically underreported due to exacerbated shame around it. In the U.S, about 14% of men and boys have reported being sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

3. Sexual Assault statistics vary from country to country largely because of cultural views, perceived gender roles, and legal frameworks.

4. More than 72 countries do not have laws addressing sexual assault and rape.

5. The majority of sexual assaults happen at or near the victim’s home, often by someone they know, and/or trust.

6. Rape is the most under-reported crime; 63% of sexual assaults are not reported.

The impact of sexual violence

The impact of sexual violence is vast affecting not only the individual but also their families and communities at large. The individual who experiences the assault often has long term negative effects on their emotional, psychological, and physical. Wellbeing. Some emotional reactions include guilt, shame, fear, distrust, and isolation. Some psychological reactions include nightmares, flashbacks, and depression. Some physical reactions include changes in eating or sleeping patterns, increase startle response, and concerns about physical safety.  A University of Washington Medicine study found that 75 % of sexual assault survivors have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) one moth after the attack, 54% after 3 months, and 41% after one year. PTSD can have long lasting negative effects on an individual.

How dogs can help survivors

Dogs can help survivors build trust again.

o   One of the long lasting effects of sexual assault can be an overall distrust and fear of people. Through the trusting relationship with a dog, a survivor can build confidence in others again. Dogs can also help mediate social relationships with people, which can also give an opportunity for a survivor to connect.

They can provide companionship.

o   Survivors of sexual assault often retreat into isolation after their attack. A dog can help provide companionship and ease loneliness. They can also help a survivor feel more comfortable to leave the house as well as a need to leave the house, which eventually can lead to lifting the tendency to withdraw.

Dogs can provide and give a sense of protection.

o   10,000 years ago humans and wolves creating a bond through protecting one another. Dogs continue to play a role in humans’ lives as guardians and protectors. This can help a survivor of sexual assault feel a sense of safety, which in turn can help with regulating hypervigilance.  

Dogs can help reduce anxiety and stress

o   Much research has found that the presence of a dog helps regulate our stress hormones, thus interacting with dogs can have overall positive benefits to a survivors mental health.
Dogs can help inspire a wide range of coping skills.

o   We can learn so much from observing dogs and taking care of their needs which in turn helps us with taking care of ourselves. For example dogs help us learn to live in the moment, engage in playfulness. Taking care of them can provide us with a deep loving commitment and set us into a healthy routine. All of this can be extremely beneficial to a sexual assault survivor.

In the role of psychiatric service dog:

o   As seen above, many sexual assault survivors develop PTSD. Certain dogs can be specially trained to perform one or multiple to tasks to alleviate symptoms of PTSD. Some of these tasks can include nudging to interrupt flashbacks, deep pressure to alleviate anxiety, watching their humans back to help regulate hypervigilance, and assist person to get to safety during a dissociative episode.

What can you do to support a survivor?

Let them know you believe them

o   Unfortunately, it is common that when sexual assault survivors have the courage to speak out people don’t believe them and shut them down. Even in high profile sexual assault cases, the public is usually in debate whether the survivor is telling the truth. The numbers show that in the past 20 years, only 2-10% of sexual assault accusations are false, meaning over 90% of sexual assault accusations are true. Letting a sexual assault survivor know you believe them is one of the most powerful actions you can provide.

Encourage survivors to make their own decisions.

o   In the aftermath of sexual assault, a person is left feeling vulnerable and powerless. Empowering a survivor to make their own choices around telling their story, whether to press charges, and what type of aftercare they want to purse is extremely important.

Educate yourself on myths of sexual assault.

o   There are an enormous amount of myths around sexual assault that is detrimental to a survivors health from if a victim doesn’t fight back it means they wanted it to intimate partners sexually assaulting one another is not assault to if someone was wearing revealing clothing they deserved to be sexually assaulted. As a community we need to educate ourselves and also take action when we hear these myths thrown around.

Listen, listen, listen.

o   The best thing you can do for someone going through anything traumatic is setting aside our own judgments and feelings and listening.

I hope this blog post was helpful in providing information on sexual assault survivors, how dogs and we can help.