Fear of being blamed for the rape, and a sense of isolation, contribute to the decision not to tell anyone, at least not right away. Whether or not the victim confides in someone, the survivor may be in a kind of shock for days. The survivor may have a feeling of surrealism, an inability to process what's going on. A sexual assault survivor may feel out of control but in a controlled way. In other words, the survivor may be in shock.
Shock anesthetizes the mind and body to help the victim survive the rape.
Relatively few rape survivors choose to get professional counseling. Yet, for many women, it may be helpful to talk with a safe, caring, supportive person, and some survivors may also benefit from talking with a professional who is trained to deal with the issues of sexual violence. If she has just been raped, our first concern is that the victim is safe, that she has a safe place to stay and safe people to be with. A woman who wants to report that she has been raped is encouraged to go to the hospital immediately for an exam by trained medical staff.