Survivors and their significant others often have great difficulty in dealing with their feelings of shame, anger, hurt, powerlessness and, later, rage.
Many relationships break up in the aftermath of a sexual assault.
More than anyone else, those close to a survivor of sexual assault can help that person to recover. Above all, remember that you DO have access to professional help - for the survivor and for you. There is a list of resource numbers for your use at the end of this message. DON'T deny the survivor's experience. You may want to deny that such an assault took place or you may want to believe that the victim somehow caused the assault.