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Challenges faced by asexual spectrum survivors of sexual violence (part 1)
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Challenges faced by asexual spectrum survivors of sexual violence (part 1)

Challenges faced by asexual spectrum survivors of sexual violence (part 1)

By Queenie| 2018-04-12T00:45:21-04:00 July 23rd, 2015|Categories: Compulsory Sexuality, Education, For Activists, For Professionals, For Supporters, Rape Culture|Tags: ace community, awful things people say, challenges faced by ace survivors series, coercion, compromise, compulsory sexuality, corrective rape, CSA, rape culture, sexuality policing, victim blaming|

This series focuses on awful things people say to asexual spectrum survivors of sexual violence, sometimes out of spite, sometimes out of concern, and sometimes out of ignorance. Each section has a quote (or collection of related quotes) followed by a "translation" of the quote (or a distillation of the essence of the argument, if you will) and then commentary on why this is an awful thing to say (and suggestions for things you can say instead).

It Gets Better: Chasing the ‘Before’

By Guest Post| 2018-04-10T00:38:36-04:00 July 21st, 2015|Categories: Asexuality & Mental Health, By & For Ace Survivors, Personal Narratives|Tags: adoption, CSA, cycle of abuse, discrediting, Dissociative Identity Disorder, invalidation, multiple assaults, not being believed, personal narrative, pregnancy, prostitution, rape, shaming, substance abuse, suicide attempt, use of drugs to assault, victim blaming|

Probably the worst part of it was how my grandparents urged me to go back to who I was 'before'. For me, there was no before. I didn't realize it then, but for many of the victims of repeated childhood sexual abuse, there is no 'before'. You know the one. Before the abuse. Before the pain. Before the brokenness. Now, when I think about who I was 'before', I realize that it wasn't as clear-cut as my grandparents and the psychologist made it out to be. Now, I realize that the 'before' they referred to was their own—namely, before they knew about the abuse. Today, I have a different 'before'. Before I decided to live for me. Before I forgave myself. Before I realized that my life is valid, no matter what.

When there never was any “before”

By Guest Post| 2018-04-10T00:43:20-04:00 July 9th, 2015|Categories: By & For Ace Survivors, Coping Strategies, Recovery, Self Care|Tags: by and for ace survivors, CSA, personal narrative, recovery, self care, submission, trauma|

Not every trauma survivour has had a life before the trauma/s. It can have happened/started in early childhood and/or there may be no memories of a life before or independent of trauma. Even for people where there was a “before”, recovery is not about going back to that state, especially not if the “before” was a long time ago, in childhood or in a completely different stage of life. We know it’s hard. Having to figure out everything new, what is a healthy coping mechanism and what’s not doing me good, how does a healthy relationship work/feel, what are my likes, interests, needs, skills, beliefs. What is my personality, who am I and what is really me and what is “just” due to trauma. This is hard to figure out and painful to even have to adress in the first place. But it’s possible.