The consciousness of mind concerning victims of sexual assaults






What are the three stages of consciousness proposed by Freud? Three levels of consciousness are the subconscious, the conscious, and unconscious. These three levels are differentiated based on the intensity of awareness. In the first stage of consciousness, all remembered experiences, impressions are left on the mind. It is the strange point for any recent memories needed for quick recall. This determines the pattern of our behavior and thought process. The next stage is about rational awareness that guides our decisions based on information. It is observed that a conscious mind directs our focus on dreams. The last stage is the unconscious mind, where all memories and past experiences reside. These memories are no longer important. These define our beliefs and behavior. Apart from these stages, superconscious is where the problem and solution are seen as one as its obvious that the solution is part of the problem. It is important to understand Freud’s consciousness of mind because all our actions and reactions are governed by our mental faculties.  
Sue Richardson and Heather Bacon in his book titled “Creative Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Challenges and Dilemmas”, says that the cycle of abuse refers to three different cycles. First, the process whereby the child internalizes the behavior of the perpetrator; second is the result of non-protective parenting resulting from the impact of the parent’s unresolved trauma, and third is associated with the survivor's struggles within long term effects of abuse.
The growing number of research in the field of sexual assaults subsequently increased its initiation into various genres. The most vulnerable to abuse are the children in the age groups of 7 to 14. I read a play based on the theme of child sexual abuse, titled “Thirty Days in September”, written by the popular playwright. This play depicted the after-effects of abuse like disturbed interpersonal relationships; post-traumatic disorder and frustrations. The subconscious mind of play protagonist Mala holds her mother responsible for torture and trauma. In the case of the subconscious mind, the unconscious mind is preferred over the conscious mind. Robert A. Baron in his book on Psychology notes that “Freud contended that shameful experiences or unacceptable sexual or aggressive urges are often driven deep within the unconscious.”[1]  According to Sigmund Freud, the unconscious mind which is outside the conscious mind contains unpleasant and unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and memories of pain and anxiety. 

The victim of sexual abuse is mostly amazed at how the haze of the trauma made it impossible for him/her to empathize. The effect of sexual assaults is on the mind, body, and soul of the victim. It is easier for the abuser to escape after committing abuse while it’s very difficult for the victim to remove marks of assaults. 


  [1]Robert A. Baron, Psychology. India, Pearson Education, 5th ed., 2006, p.454.


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