How Assault Reshapes Daily Life: Understanding the Hidden Impacts of Trauma
Assault is often spoken about as a single event, a moment of violence that ends once the survivor is physically safe. But for many, the aftermath lasts far longer than the event itself. A recent student research project at Vanier College explores how assault silently shapes everyday behaviour, mental health, and the way survivors navigate the world.
The Everyday Aftermath Most People Do Not See
Survivors often describe the period after an assault as a quiet unraveling. Tasks that once felt simple, like taking the bus, walking home, meeting friends, or going to class, suddenly require emotional energy, planning, or avoidance.
Research supports this. A 2021 study by Dworkin and colleagues found that survivors commonly experience anxiety, sleep problems, hypervigilance, and major shifts in daily routines. Even when survivors appear fine, their minds and bodies are working overtime to keep them safe in a world that suddenly feels unpredictable.
These patterns appeared throughout the student’s research findings. Themes such as fear, avoidance, difficulty concentrating at school, social withdrawal, and trouble trusting others were present across many sources.
A Personal Experience That Mirrors the Research
The project also includes the researcher’s own lived experience, woven carefully and respectfully into the analysis.
In front of a Montréal metro station, the student and their best friend were harassed
Survivors often describe the period after an assault as a quiet unraveling. Tasks that once felt simple, like taking the bus, walking home, meeting friends, or going to class, suddenly require emotional energy, planning, or avoidance.
Research supports this. A 2021 study by Dworkin and colleagues found that survivors commonly experience anxiety, sleep problems, hypervigilance, and major shifts in daily routines. Even when survivors appear fine, their minds and bodies are working overtime to keep them safe in a world that suddenly feels unpredictable.
These patterns appeared throughout the student’s research findings. Themes such as fear, avoidance, difficulty concentrating at school, social withdrawal, and trouble trusting others were present across many sources.
A Personal Experience That Mirrors the Research
The project also includes the researcher’s own lived experience, woven carefully and respectfully into the analysis.
In front of a Montréal metro station, the student and their best friend were harassed
Survivors often describe the period after an assault as a quiet unraveling. Tasks that once felt simple, like taking the bus, walking home, meeting friends, or going to class, suddenly require emotional energy, planning, or avoidance.
Research supports this. A 2021 study by Dworkin and colleagues found that survivors commonly experience anxiety, sleep problems, hypervigilance, and major shifts in daily routines. Even when survivors appear fine, their minds and bodies are working overtime to keep them safe in a world that suddenly feels unpredictable.
These patterns appeared throughout the student’s research findings. Themes such as fear, avoidance, difficulty concentrating at school, social withdrawal, and trouble trusting others were present across many sources.
A Personal Experience That Mirrors the Research
The project also includes the researcher’s own lived experience, woven carefully and respectfully into the analysis.
In front of a Montréal metro station, the student and their best friend were harassed by a man who then pepper sprayed them. The attack was sudden, unprovoked, and frightening. It became a clear example of how an assault can happen in an ordinary public space, one that should feel safe, and how the emotional effects continue long after the physical pain fades.
A Broader Social Impact
Assault affects more than individual survivors. It affects entire communities. When students struggle with fear or anxiety, it affects attendance, class participation, academic performance, and relationships. When stigma blocks open conversation, survivors feel alone.
The ecological model by Campbell, Dworkin, and Cabral (2009) explains that trauma is shaped not only by the assault itself but also by how society responds. Judgment, disbelief, or silence can slow healing. Support, validation, and community understanding can help survivors move forward. The findings of this research emphasize that schools, peers, and institutions share responsibility in recognizing and addressing these silent struggles.
What Vanier Students Can Take Away
The message of this project is clear. Survivors are not defined by the assault, but their environment can influence their healing in powerful ways.
The research encourages everyone in the Vanier community to:
• Recognize signs of withdrawal, fear, or avoidance in peers.
• Take disclosures seriously and respond with care.
• Understand that trauma affects concentration, behaviour, and attendance.
• Help create spaces where survivors feel safe and believed.
• Offer patience, empathy, and support rather than assumptions.
Why This Research Matters Today
Violence and harassment in public spaces have become rising concerns in Montréal. Many students commute early in the morning or late at night, often alone, and many have experienced frightening or uncomfortable encounters.
This project gives voice to what survivors already know. Life after assault is a long process of relearning safety.
By connecting academic research with personal reality, this article demonstrates how trauma affects not only the mind, but the shape of everyday life.
Moving Forward Together
Assault leaves lasting marks, but community support can shape healing. By learning how trauma alters daily routines and emotional wellbeing, Vanier students and staff can help build a campus where survivors feel understood, supported, and safe.
Healing is not linear. Yet even small acts of kindness matter. A friend walking someone home, a teacher showing understanding, or a peer offering empathy can make an enormous difference.
