Trauma Facts
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Trauma is a subjective experience. One individual may go through a traumatic experience and continue on with her life relatively unscathed. Another individual may experience the same event and end up with a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Both are normal responses to extraordinary situations. An individual may be traumatized by either participating in or witnessing the following: child abuse/neglect, sexual/physical/verbal/emotional abuse, bullying, domestic violence, sexual assault, incest, fire, combat trauma, refugee trauma, car accident, death of a loved one, divorce, abandonment, accidental injury, school violence, terrorism, natural disasters (fire, hurricane, earthquake, flood), sexual/spiritual assault, cancer or other health trauma, stranger assault, threat of danger, or any other experience in which the individual perceives as threatening to their life or survival as they know it. Threat to life need not be a factor if the incident(s) involves a betrayal from someone you depend on for your safety, survival and/or livelihood.
US STATISTICS:
1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys is sexually assaulted by age 14.
1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys is sexually assaulted by age 18.
Every 6 hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect.
Every 3 hours a child or teen is killed by a firearm.
Every 5 hours a child or teen commits suicide.
In 8 out of 10 rapes, the victim knows the perpetrator.
Every 9 seconds a woman is victimized by domestic violence.
1 in 3 women who attempts suicide has been a victim of domestic violence.
Every 18 minutes a baby dies before her/his first birthday.
1 in 2 marriages end in divorce.
1 in 3 murdered women is killed by a current or former spouse.
1 in 3 people will get cancer in her/his lifetime.
1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.
Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer.
Every 13 minutes someone dies in a car accident.
Women are twice as likely to develop PTSD after experiencing trauma. Women are more likely to experience a longer duration of symptoms and are more likely to display sensitivity to stimuli reminiscent of the trauma. Many women with PTSD experience symptoms that are both chronic and severe. These may include; nightmares, insomnia, hyper-vigilance, exaggerated startle response, despair, somatic disturbances, hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, feelings of detachment, emotional numbing, dissociation, flashbacks, fear, anxiety, guilt, anger, shame, aggression, suicidal behaviors, loss of trust, isolation, and difficulty with intimate relationships. Untreated PTSD symptoms not only can have mental health implications, but also adverse effects on physical health, including: headaches, gastro-intestinal problems, and sexual dysfunction, to name just a few. Many women with untreated PTSD also suffer from anxiety, depression, and alcohol/substance abuse and dependence.