Fight – Flight – Freeze – Fawn

In the moment that a trauma is occurring, your instincts take over in order to keep you alive. Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are trauma responses that help to keep you safe(r), but they’re often misunderstood. One response isn’t “better” than another, they’re each valuable in their own way. Many people are predisposed to a certain response based on what’s kept them safe in the past, but we’re all capable of any of them depending on the situation. They’re not something we consciously choose, our bodies just take over.

In cases of sexual assault, it used to be thought that unless you tried to actively fight your way out of it then you must have consented. But that’s not true. Freeze and fawn are extremely common responses to sexual violence.

If you’ve found yourself in a situation where you didn’t want what was happening but you couldn’t leave, it’s not your fault. We believe you. You deserve support.