For survivors of sexual violence, self-care isn’t just good practice; it’s imperative to your recovery. Think of self-care as strength training for your mind and body—strength training that empowers you to be the person you want to be and live the life you want to live.
But what is self-care? And how do you practice it in your daily life?
7 Ways to Practice Self-Care as a Survivor
In 2011, the International Self-Care Foundation (ISF) outlined seven “pillars” or categories of self-care that are vital to restoring and maintaining your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Here, we’ll pair ISF’s self-care categories with customized insights and recommendations for survivors. Recovery after sexual violence is possible!
1. Enhance Your Health Knowledge
Health knowledge is about understanding your health and how to navigate the healthcare system as a survivor.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Health literacy is a stronger predictor of an individual’s health than income, employment status, education level, and racial or ethnic group.” In other words, understanding your health helps make you healthier!
How Health Knowledge Helps Survivors
When you’ve experienced sexual abuse or assault, going to the doctor can feel overwhelming—even terrifying. Improving your health knowledge can help you:
- Get the right medical help when you need it
- Recognize the difference between good and bad health advice
- Find healthcare providers who make you feel safe
- Advocate for yourself in medical situations
Self-Care Steps for Enhancing Your Health Knowledge
- Learn about common health conditions, treatments, and terms. Read online articles by trusted sources such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Mayo Clinic, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Cleveland Clinic.
- Find a trauma-informed healthcare provider. Schedule a “new patient appointment” and bring a list of questions you’d like to ask the doctor or nurse. If you aren’t sure where to start, reach out to a sexual assault service provider in your area; they can help you locate a local healthcare provider who makes you feel safe.
2. Build Self-Awareness & Agency
Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. As a mentally healthy person, you can live up to your potential, cope with everyday stresses, be productive, and contribute to your community.
Self-awareness and agency are the main “ingredients” of mental health.
- Self-awareness is exactly what it sounds like: being aware of your internal self. When you’re self-aware, you’re in touch with your feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and motivations—and conscious of how these may affect other people.
- Agency is your sense of control over yourself. When you have a strong sense of agency, you can manage and direct your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. By exercising your agency, you can accomplish your dreams and goals.
How Mental Health Helps Survivors
Research has shown that nearly all survivors of sexual violence experience mental health challenges. If you’re struggling, there’s hope!
Building self-awareness and agency can help you:
- Understand your triggers, develop healthier coping skills, and manage stress
- Recognize your needs, set appropriate boundaries, and enjoy better relationships
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses and pursue your goals
- Notice when you feel mentally unwell so you can get support
Self-Care Steps for Strengthening Your Mental Health
There are several things you can do to begin cultivating self-awareness and agency:
- Meditate or practice mindfulness. Calmly observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Get started with a guided meditation or mindfulness lesson on YouTube or your favorite podcast app, or try an app like Headspace.
- Write or record thoughts and feelings. Journaling about your thoughts and feelings can help you process them more effectively. If writing isn’t a good fit, try recording voice notes for yourself instead.
- Get curious. Learning new things can renew your confidence and help you combat fear. Replace stressful content and experiences with options that inspire your creativity and soothe your nervous system.
- Work with a trauma-informed therapist. The right therapist can guide you through processing your feelings and experiences in a safe space.
3. Get Physically Active
Physical activity includes any body movements that expend energy. Workouts count, of course, but so do everyday activities like doing the laundry or mowing the lawn. Stay as active as your abilities and health conditions allow.
How Physical Activity Helps Survivors
Survivors often carry significant physical stress due to the mental and emotional trauma caused by sexual violence. While it’s true that physical activity strengthens your body, what it does for the brain is even more impressive! When you’re physically active, your brain releases mood-boosting chemicals that improve your overall sense of well-being.
Regular physical activity helps by:
- Purging your brain chemicals that cause stress and anxiety
- Reducing symptoms of depression
- Strengthening your body so you feel safer and more capable
- Allowing you to sleep better
Self-Care Steps for Increasing Your Physical Activity
- Set realistic movement goals. Trauma can make physical activity feel overwhelming, so start with small daily goals. Ideas: Walk for 10 minutes, dance to your three favorite songs, or tackle a housekeeping task. The more you move, the more you’ll want to move!
- Move in community. Planning physical activities with loved ones can hold us accountable for our movement goals. Ideas: Meet a friend at the park for a jog, sign up for a yoga class with your mom, or hit the gym with your pals after work.
4. Eat Nutritious Foods
Focus on nutrient-rich foods as much as possible, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy, seafood, and lean meats.
The WHO recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and veggies every day. If you’re struggling, try adding at least one high-nutrition food to your plate every time you eat.
How Nutritious Food Helps Survivors
Anxiety and depression can suppress our appetites or make it difficult to make healthy meal choices. Don’t beat yourself up on days when the best you can do is eat a bowl of cereal. Instead, thank yourself for eating and sustaining your body!
When you’re able, you can use food to support your recovery. Nutritious foods help by:
- Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Clearing brain fog and improving your mood
- Enabling better sleep
Self-Care Steps for Eating Nutritious Meals
- Shop for easy-to-prepare foods. If you love to cook—great! But if time or trauma keeps you out of the kitchen, buy groceries that don’t require a ton of prep. Consider foods that are pre-seasoned, pre-cooked, or pre-cut. The less work you have to do, the more likely you’ll be to select the healthier option.
- Shop for foods you like to eat. When eating is difficult, you don’t want to stock your pantry with foods you don’t enjoy. Get nutritious foods that taste good to you! Eating matters more than “perfect eating.”
5. Avoid Unnecessary Risks
Avoiding risk means reducing actions or behaviors that increase your odds of getting sick or hurt. As survivors know all too well, there is no way to guarantee your health and safety, but there are some steps you can take that reduce your chances of experiencing further harm.
How Minimizing Risk Helps Survivors
Some survivors experience trauma symptoms that cause them to engage in risky behaviors. You may feel that you’re not worthy of being safe, or you may subconsciously hope an incident occurs that finally leads to you receiving help.
The truth is that you DO deserve to be safe, and help is always available. By avoiding risky scenarios and prioritizing safer choices, you can:
- Reclaim your sense of safety and security
- Support your physical and mental well-being
- Cultivate a community of people you can genuinely trust
- Return to your favorite hobbies and activities without fear
Self-Care Steps for Reducing Your Exposure to Risk
- Follow proven safety practices. These WHO-recommended habits may sound silly in their simplicity, but they’re proven to help protect people from harm: Drive carefully and wear a seat belt; wear a helmet while riding a bike or motorcycle; wear sun protection; don’t smoke; drink alcohol in moderation; get vaccinated as recommended by your doctor; and practice safer sex.
- Follow your instincts. If a person or situation feels unsafe to you, honor your intuition. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for saying “no,” leaving a situation, canceling plans, avoiding a person or place, or making any other decision for yourself. You are in control.
6. Maintain Good Hygiene
Hygiene practices are essential for staying healthy. Good hygiene habits include keeping your home environment clean, showering or bathing, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, washing your hands, and wearing a medical mask in public if you’re sick.
How Good Hygiene Helps Survivors
Hygiene isn’t inherently healing for survivors of sexual trauma. In fact, some trauma symptoms can make it tough for survivors to maintain their personal hygiene. If you’re struggling to keep up with your hygiene, it’s okay; you’re not alone, and you can regain confidence in your hygiene practices.
Getting back on the hygiene bandwagon can help you:
- Protect your body from sickness so you stay physically healthier
- Reclaim your living environment so you feel safe and comfortable at home
- Reduce distractions so you can focus on the things you care about
- Feel more confident and capable of going out and socializing
Self-Care Steps for Maintaining Good Hygiene
- Establish a hygiene routine. Simple checklists can prompt you to brush your teeth before bed, take your medication in the morning, or vacuum your floors every Saturday. You may not always check every box, but each hygiene task you complete contributes to your overall well-being.
- Talk to someone you trust. Hygiene challenges can be a sign of serious mental distress. Share your struggles with someone you trust, talk to a therapist, or reach out to RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline for resources that can help.
7. Use Self-Care Tools Responsibly
Self-care tools are products and services that help you manage and maintain your well-being. Many people use self-care tools such as doctor-prescribed medicines, health supplements, gym memberships, wellness apps, nutrition counselors, or massage therapy.
Not all self-care tools are created equal, however. There are “bad actors” who will gladly take your money, time, and trust in exchange for low-quality (or even dangerous) products and services. Do your research, get recommendations from people you trust, and stop using any tool that doesn’t do what was promised.
How Self-Care Tools Help Survivors
Support is critical for survivors of sexual assault and abuse, and there are many excellent self-care tools that can help you on your healing journey. The best self-care tools help by:
- Increasing your self-awareness and sense of agency
- Keeping you on track to achieve your goals
- Reinforcing your sense of safety and security
- Providing relief when you’re in a moment of crisis
Self-Care Steps for Using Self-Care Tools Responsibly
- Follow the instructions. Use medications, supplements, and other substances only as prescribed or recommended. Misuse can make your medicine ineffective or trigger dangerous (or even life-threatening) reactions. You can always contact your local pharmacist anonymously if you need to know how two or more substances may interact with one another.
- Beware of “magical” solutions. Many people benefit from non-traditional treatments. However, be wary of anyone claiming to offer an immediate “cure” for whatever you’re struggling with—especially if that solution comes with a hefty price tag! Do your research, trust your instincts, and ditch any tool that isn’t truly serving you.
You Are Worthy of Self-Care
No one chooses to be a survivor of sexual violence. Sexual trauma is a heavy burden for any one person to carry, and you deserve all the support and self-care you can manage.
Remember: Recovery is a journey, not a destination. Start small, be kind to yourself, and reach out to RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline any time you need to talk to someone who understands, cares, and can help.
You are not alone.
Medical Disclaimer: Please note that the content on this site does not constitute medical advice, and RAINN is not a medical expert. If you have further questions after reading this information, please contact a local healthcare professional or hospital.
Last updated: July 10, 2025