When most people hear the term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they often think of military veterans. While PTSD is indeed a common concern among service members, it’s important to recognize that many civilians — especially survivors of abuse, such as stalking, sexual assault, and domestic abuse — also face this life-altering condition. In fact, the trauma caused by interpersonal violence can last a lifetime, but it often goes unrecognized or untreated.
June is PTSD Awareness Month, a time to broaden our understanding of abuse-related trauma and honor the resilience of women with PTSD and others who are similarly impacted. We can do this by shedding light on what PTSD and complex PTSD (C-PTSD) really are — and how they continue to affect people long after the abuse ends.
What Is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health condition that develops after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or deeply distressing event. PTSD symptoms in women and other survivors of sexual or domestic abuse may include:
- • Flashbacks or nightmares
- • Avoidance of reminders of the trauma
- • Intense anxiety or panic attacks
- • Hypervigilance and exaggerated startle responses
- • Emotional numbness or disconnection from others
- • Physical health impacts such as migraines, stomach aches, and substance abuse; increased risk for heart disease, stroke, or chronic pain
- • In children, disruptive or aggressive behaviors and regressions in development
Although the trauma may be in the past, PTSD makes it feel like it’s still happening, often in vivid, disturbing ways.
What Is Complex PTSD?
Complex PTSD, or C-PTSD, is a related condition that occurs after prolonged or repeated trauma, particularly trauma involving control, manipulation, or entrapment, such as domestic violence or ongoing sexual abuse. Understanding complex PTSD is vital to ensuring that survivors receive the therapy and services they need without retraumatizing them. While many PTSD symptoms are present in both diagnoses, C-PTSD also includes:
- • Chronic feelings of shame or guilt
- • Emotional dysregulation
- • Difficulty maintaining relationships
- • A negative self-image
C-PTSD often develops when a person feels trapped with no safe escape, making it particularly common among survivors of sexual and domestic abuse.
PTSD and Sexual Assault Survivors
Research shows that PTSD is incredibly common among sexual assault survivors. A study from the University of Washington found that 75% of sexual assault survivors met the criteria for PTSD just one month after the attack, and nearly 41% still did one year later.
Many survivors experience:
- • Rape trauma syndrome, a condition marked by persistent fear, shock, guilt, and disorientation
- • Deep distrust in others or institutions
- • Social withdrawal
- • Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
Because the assault may have involved someone the survivor trusted — or happened in a setting where they expected to be safe — the sense of betrayal adds to the emotional toll.
PTSD and Domestic Abuse Survivors
About one in three women and one in four men in the US experience domestic violence and many go on to develop PTSD. This is especially true when the abuse is:
- • Chronic (repeated over months or years)
- • Controlling (involves threats, isolation, or financial dependency)
- • Physically or sexually violent
Survivors often describe feeling like they’re in a war zone — constantly alert for the next outburst or incident. Even after leaving, triggers such as loud voices, a familiar scent, or a specific location can reignite the trauma, leading to flashbacks or panic attacks. Healing from PTSD often requires a multistep journey that includes therapy, self-compassion, and building a new sense of safety.
The Hidden Toll of Stalking
Stalking is another traumatic experience that frequently leads to PTSD, especially when it involves threats, surveillance, or physical following. Survivors may feel like they’re being hunted and report an overwhelming loss of personal safety and autonomy. For many, the trauma of being stalked doesn’t end when the stalking stops — it lives on in their minds and nervous systems.
Why PTSD in Abuse Survivors Is Often Overlooked
Despite its prevalence, PTSD among survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault is still misunderstood or dismissed. Unfortunately, survivors may:
- • Avoid seeking help due to shame, fear of not being believed, or cultural stigma
- • Receive misdiagnoses, such as depression or anxiety, while the underlying PTSD goes untreated
- • Feel re-traumatized by insensitive law enforcement or court responses
Moving Toward Healing and Awareness
PTSD Awareness Month is a powerful opportunity to uplift the stories of all survivors. Whether someone was assaulted by a stranger or terrorized by a partner, their trauma is valid, and they deserve compassion, understanding, and access to treatment.
Survivors can benefit from:
- • Trauma-focused therapy, such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing or cognitive behavioral therapy
- • Peer support groups for abuse survivors
- • Advocacy organizations such as The National Domestic Violence Hotline (1.800.799.SAFE) and local domestic violence centers, such as Connections for Abused Women and Their Children (CAWC)
By learning about PTSD and C-PTSD, we can help break the silence, reduce stigma, and create a world where survivors of stalking, sexual assault, and domestic abuse feel heard, supported, and safe to heal.
Support Abuse Survivors Who Have PTSD With CAWC
At CAWC, we believe that everyone has a right to a life free from abuse and violence. Our mission to end domestic violence in all demographics is rooted in education, service, and advocacy. In addition to working toward broader social change, we provide empowerment-based and trauma-informed support in the form of shelter, counseling, and advocacy for individuals and their children affected by intimate partner violence.
If you or someone you know is actively experiencing the impacts of abuse or sexual violence, don’t hesitate to call our 24-hour hotline at 773-278-4566. For nonemergency support, reach out through our contact form today.
Want to help us protect more survivors and children? You can impact the life of a domestic violence survivor or a child who witnessed domestic violence by donating to CAWC today or by supporting our work in other ways.