Understanding domestic violence and sexual assault

When a person experiences violence of any kind it can be difficult to understand, especially when there are so many terms used to describe these situations. If you are confused about what language to use when describing violence experienced by you or others, you are not alone. No matter which terms you use to describe what has happened to you, your experience is valid and we are here to listen.

• Domestic violence is used to describe acts of violence that occur in an intimate relationship. This applies for various types of intimate partnerships including same-sex relationships, domestic partnerships, marriages, and separated couples.
• Sexual violence is described by the World Health Organization as:
  • “Any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work.”
  • If sexual violence occurs in an intimate partnership, this can still be described using the following terms, but is understood as a sub-category of domestic violence.

We offer counseling services for everyone

Maria Droste Counseling Center understands that acts of violence can happen to anyone. That’s why we provide services for everyone. Nobody should feel unable to get support because of their identity, that’s why our services support:

• Male survivors of violence
• Transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming clients
• Elderly survivors of violence
• Children experiencing abuse
• And all other identities that may benefit from counseling services

Sexual assault counseling

Sexual violence, in any form, is a traumatic experience that can have various impacts on the victim. Unfortunately, sexual assault, sexual abuse, and rape are all to common experiences.

Those who have experienced sexual violence may experience feelings of fear and anxiety, as well as overwhelming sadness. Some survivors also report feeling numb and wanting to isolate from others. Whatever you experience is, you are not alone. Experiencing sexual violence is never the victim’s fault.

Our counselors have experience supporting survivors of sexual violence, and helping them to feel safe again. It is important that each person who comes to us wanting to discuss sexual violence experiences counseling as a safe space where they can receive support and a non-judgmental provider who will listen to their story.

Domestic violence counseling

The US Office on Violence against Women (OVW) defines domestic violence as a “pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.” This includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. 

If you are in an abusive relationship, you may feel there is no way out. But remember, there is always hope. Domestic violence counseling can help you find inner strength and begin the healing process.

Child sexual abuse can be a painful secret that has rippling effects upon an entire family. Sexual contact perpetrated on a child by a person in the position of trust or authority is considered incest. The social stigma and secrecy involved in this issue make it one of the most under-reported crimes.

With the help of counseling, victims and their families who are impacted by sexual abuse can heal from it and make sure no further abuse will happen in their family, hopefully for generations to come.

Post-traumatic stress disorder counseling

Violence and sexual assault can cause post-traumatic stress disorder in their victims. Post-traumatic stress disorder, better known as PTSD, is an acute stress reaction to a traumatic situation. Because of the nature of the traumatic incident, the individual may fear for their life of the life of another.

Symptoms of PTSD may include flashbacks or nightmares, avoidance of thoughts, feelings, or the location of the incident, anger or irritability, and trouble concentrating. 

Counseling is an effective treatment for PTSD. It alleviates symptoms and enables sufferers to process their trauma, helps them to learn new tools to become stronger, healthier, and happier. Trauma and PTSD therapy treatment can empower an individual with PTSD to move past their trauma and reclaim their lives, their families, and their futures.

Survivor’s Mental Health Program

Here at Maria Droste, we understand that in the aftermath of violence or abuse, getting help can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. That’s why we’ve created the Survivor’s Mental Health Program (SMHP) to provide funding for survivors of violence.

The program receives grant funding to help those who do not have adequate support through their health insurance and are not eligible for victim’s compensation to get the counseling services they need. SMHP keeps them from falling through the cracks of the existing mental health and victim services systems.

SMHP is designed to specifically address these issues. A primary goal of SMHP is to help survivors stabilize and avoid the demoralizing and costly experience of being hospitalized in the wake of a traumatic experience. Talk to one of our counselors about the Survivor’s Mental Health Program to see if you qualify.

Supporting survivors in the community

Maria Droste Counseling Center is proud to partner with Rose Andom Center to provide counseling to survivors of domestic violence in the community alongside compassionate case managers, victim advocates, medical professionals, and lawyers. This partnership allows survivors to receive wrap-around services that attend to the many needs of escaping an abusive relationship.

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