When discussing sexual assault, the focus is often the physical and emotional aftermath. However, immediate reactions during such traumatic experiences are equally critical.
Fight and flight are widely known as common instinctual responses to a threat. Among the less discussed responses are freeze and appease, both of which can emerge instinctively when faced with danger. Understanding these responses is essential not only for survivors but also for society at large, as it challenges common misconceptions about how individuals react to life-threatening situations.
One way to understand these responses is through the bear analogy. Imagine encountering a bear in the wild. Your body can react in several ways. You might choose to fight, making noise to appear larger and more intimidating. You might decide to run away, using your speed to escape the threat. Another response is to lie down and play dead, a strategy aimed at tricking the bear into thinking you’re no longer a threat. You could also attempt to placate the bear by offering it some of your sandwich, hoping to defuse the situation peacefully.
In the context of sexual assault, the freeze and appease responses are similar to the last two strategies. The freeze response is an automatic physiological reaction where the body feels stuck and unable to react. This response can be confusing for survivors and those around them, as it can appear as though the person is compliant or passive. However, it’s important to recognize that this is not a choice, but a survival instinct driven by fear where the brain interprets that fighting or fleeing are not possible or could lead to further harm.
The appease response, on the other hand, involves attempts to placate the perpetrator in order to survive the encounter. Survivors may engage in soothing language, compliance, or even cooperation, believing that these actions might reduce the risk of further harm. This response is rooted in an instinctual desire to avoid violence and maintain safety. In many cases, this behaviour is a coping mechanism developed under extreme stress.
Another less talked about response to sexual assault is the physiological phenomenon that can occur during traumatic experiences: sexual arousal. It is important to emphasize that the body can become sexually aroused even when an individual does not consent or desire sexual activity. This response is involuntary and can be upsetting for survivors, as it may lead them to question their own reactions and feelings about the assault.
Understanding these automatic survival responses helps illuminate the complexity of human reactions to trauma. It is important for everyone to recognize that survival responses are not choices, and individuals may not have control over how they react in life-threatening situations. When we recognize that a person’s reactions to assault are rooted in instinctual survival, we can challenge the stigma that often surrounds sexual assault and support survivors in their healing process.
Sources:
https://psychcentral.com/health/fawn-response
https://survivorsvoices.ca/responses/