Most if not all women experience some sort of emotional trauma after a sexual assault. These disturbances may not show up for months—or even years—but they can be a very real disruption in your life.

For half of all rape victims, emotional symptoms persist for months or years; so it is never too late to seek medical or emotional support if you feel you need it. In fact, some childhood victims continue to experience problems well into their adulthood.

Sexual assault victims are at higher risk than other women of developing serious depression, substance abuse, and emotional problems. Indeed, survivors of sexual assault are 2 to 4 times more likely to have serious emotional problems as a result of the attack.

Two of the most common reactions are depression and what has come to be called posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. How the rape affects you depends in part on the type of attack, the level of violence, how long it has been since the attack, whether you have a history of emotional problems, and the type of person you are.