It’s easy to begin blaming yourself or to feel powerless in the wake of such trauma. But, by surviving the experience, you have already shown incredible resilience and fortitude. Acknowledging this and the fact you are stronger than you realise is the first step towards healing. The experience has given you an armour made of resilience, empathy, self-awareness, and determination.
A JOURNEY TOWARDS HEALING
Whitney Coleman
When people talk about GBV, the conversation often focuses on the physical scars (the bruises and wounds you can see) or the brutality of the experience. But what about the emotional scars no one can see? Anxiety, dread, and hypervigilance are just a few of the unseen wounds many survivors carry with them daily. These emotional and psychological wounds are just as real and just as devastating as the physical ones. So, how does experiencing GBV impact anxiety? And, more importantly, what steps can you take towards healing? Imagine walking into a room and feeling as if everyone is staring at you, inspecting your every move. For survivors of GBV, this is not just a discomfort they feel on occasion as most people experience it, but this feeling is often your reality. The experience of violence can trigger anxiety disorders and exacerbate paranoid symptoms like intrusive thoughts and hypervigilance. You may start second-guessing your decisions, avoiding social situations, or maybe even doubting your self-worth. The link between GBV and anxiety
For women of colour, the intersectionality of race and gender can intensify this anxiety. You are not just navigating the trauma of violence, you are also managing societal expectations, cultural stigma, and systemic oppression. It is like trying to heal a wound while more cuts are being inflicted at the same time.
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November 2023 | Collective Action Magazine
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