Dear survivor, it’s normal.

It’s normal to feel gross in your body.

It’s normal to feel like your body isn’t your own.

It’s normal to feel unsafe in public, or even in private.

It’s normal to feel in danger, even when you’re not.

It’s normal to experience hypersexuality, to desire control over sex again.

It’s normal to never want to have sex again, or to struggle with physical intimacy.

It’s normal to never be able to wear those clothes again.

It’s normal to feel the need to scrub yourself clean for hours and hours.

It’s normal to blame yourself for something you didn’t do.

It’s normal to experience shame for something that wasn’t your fault.

It’s normal to not want to talk about it.

It’s normal to want to get it off your chest.

It’s normal to ruminate on what happened.

It’s normal to want to pretend it never happened.

It’s normal to want to isolate yourself.

It’s normal to struggle to trust anyone ever again.

You’ve gone through enough. Don’t be so hard on yourself. These thoughts and feelings, while valid, are only temporary. Be patient with yourself as you begin to heal.

PAVE is here to support you through your healing journey. For a variety of support and resources, check out Survivors.org.