By Dr. Laila Risgallah Wahba | Founder, Not Guilty
When the Incident Ends, the Trauma Often Doesn’t
Sexual harassment is often spoken about as a moment in time — an incident that happens, ends, and is expected to be “moved on from.” However, as explored in our recent article Sexual Harassment Is Not a Passing Incident: How Trauma Lives in the Body, the reality for many survivors is far more complex. Trauma does not always fade when an experience ends. Instead, it can remain stored within the body, quietly shaping emotional responses, physical reactions, and a person’s sense of safety long after the event itself.
“Trauma is not just remembered — it is felt, stored, and re-experienced in the body.”
Trauma experts describe this phenomenon as state-dependent memory — a process in which memories are not only held cognitively, but physically and emotionally. This means survivors may not consciously recall every detail of an experience, yet their bodies still remember. Certain sensations, movements, or situations can activate the nervous system, triggering anxiety, panic, or emotional distress without warning. These responses are not signs of weakness; they are the body’s attempt to protect itself from perceived danger based on past harm.
In the article, we shared the story of a woman in her thirties who began experiencing intense panic during moments of intimacy. Though she believed she had long since “worked through” her trauma, her body reacted when her arm moved into a position that mirrored how she had once been restrained during an assault. In that moment, her nervous system responded as if the trauma were happening again — illustrating how deeply trauma can live within the body, independent of conscious memory.
“Healing does not mean forgetting. It means learning how to feel safe again.”
Healing does not mean forgetting. It means learning how to feel safe again — in one’s own body, relationships, and daily life. Healing, therefore, cannot be rushed or limited to short-term interventions. Survivors need trauma-informed care, education, and compassionate support that honors both the psychological and physical dimensions of recovery. Thanks to you, survivors are not expected to carry this journey alone. Together, we are helping transform pain into understanding, and understanding into lasting healing.
Because of your generosity, Not Guilty Inc. is able to educate communities, professionals, and survivors about how trauma truly works — and why long-term, body-aware healing matters. Your support helps us challenge harmful myths, expand access to trauma-informed training, and create spaces where survivors are believed, understood, and supported without judgment.
Thank you for standing with survivors. Your support helps them understand that their experiences are valid — and that healing is possible.
By Dr. Laila Risgallah Wahba | Founder, Not Guilty
By Dr. Laila Risgallah Wahba | Founder
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
