Building Self-Esteem After Sexual Violence
Discover practical approaches to rebuilding confidence and self-worth. Professional guidance to help you develop a stronger sense of self on your recovery journey.
Understanding Self-Esteem and how sexual violence can impact it
Self-esteem is how we value and perceive ourselves. After sexual abuse, many survivors experience challenges with self-worth and confidence. Building healthy self-esteem involves developing a positive yet realistic view of yourself, recognising your inherent worth beyond past experiences.
Common Challenges with Self-Esteem
Many survivors experience difficulties with self-worth. Understanding these challenges helps us address them:
Struggling to recognise personal worth and value
Difficulty accepting praise or positive feedback
Experiencing persistent self-doubt and criticism
Challenges in setting healthy boundaries
Finding it hard to trust personal judgement
Difficulty identifying personal strengths
The Impact of Building Self Esteem
Nurturing Your Self Esteem
Learning to identify and acknowledge your personal strengths and achievements, no matter how small they might seem.
Developing the confidence to establish and maintain personal boundaries that protect your wellbeing.
Learning to recognise and question negative self-beliefs while developing more balanced self-perceptions.
Survivor Resources & Research
Learning from other survivors journeys can be a powerful tool, and make you feel much less alone. Access specialist articles, survivor stories, and evidence-based research about childhood sexual violence recovery and support.
Articles and guides covering trauma responses, recovery stages, and practical support strategies for survivors of childhood sexual violence.
A curated collection of poems written by survivors of sexual abuse, sharing personal experiences of trauma, healing, and recovery. *Please note that whilst this content is moderated you may find some of it triggering so please take care*
Key findings from our research , revealing crucial insights into sexual violence and abuse, how survivors access support services, costs to the NHS and survivor experiences, and more
With your support, we can help more survivors access the support they need when they need it. Every donation directly funds our work to supporting those affected by sexual violence.
