Sexual Violence: Crisis Intervention

NPEIV COVID-19 Series

The National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan (NPEIV) is an overarching group of individuals, organizations, agencies, coalitions, and groups that embrace a national, multi-disciplinary and multicultural commitment to violence prevention across the lifespan. April 1st, 2020 marked the opening of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), thirty days dedicated to the sexual violence movement, when service providers and coalitions traditionally host fundraisers and calls-to-action, drawing attention to the needs of sexual violence survivors and victims. This year, SAAM opened on the heels of nationwide efforts begun in mid-March to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, by physical-distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine recommendations. Programs took fundraisers and events online in consideration of public health safety.

Questions of fundraising and awareness events aside, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the essentiality of social services and the compounding impacts of physical distancing practices on individuals whose emotional and mental health have been negatively impacted by interpersonal violence. For victims of sexual violence, victim advocates provide essential and potentially life-saving services: crisis intervention in the aftermath of an assault; support when anxiety and stress become overwhelming; accompaniment when accessing system-base services; and referrals to additional resources.

The emotional and mental impacts of rape can last longer for victims than any physical effects. Victims and survivors are at increased risk for substance abuse and mental health problems, including experiencing major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and increased suicidal ideations, attempts and completed suicide. In addition to system- and community-based support, friends and family are an important source of support and healing for survivors. During this time of physical-distancing practices, when advocacy programs are providing limited in-person services and instead moving toward providing virtual services, even connections with friends and family can be limited, leaving the potential for survivors to face the impacts of trauma in isolation.

The resources available online are vast and can be overwhelming. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center and Resource Sharing Project are national leaders in providing support and resources to advocates and community-based responders. The leaders of the me too movement have published a toolkit for survivors with ideas for self-care. Perhaps the most important thing we can do during this time is to make special efforts to ensure we are reaching out and checking-in with survivors we know and work with, in addition to our colleagues who are trying to provide support and interventions for victims and survivors.

NPEIV is committed to reducing interpersonal violence and its consequences through scientific research and application of empirical findings. It is our mission to make the prevention of interpersonal violence a national and international priority and to encourage healthy relationships by linking science, practice, policy and advocacy. Through our many partnerships and collaborations, it is our vision to end all types of interpersonal violence, for all people, in all communities, at all stages of life.