Victims of assault triggered by recent harassment stories

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Noelle Rose Andressen was raped by her grandfather as a toddler. As an adult, she thought she’d successfully dealt with the trauma, having gone through years of therapy. A professional dancer, she even choreographed a performance about sexual abuse to process her feelings.

But when sexual assault and harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein exploded in October, followed by the barrage of claims against powerful men, Andressen became overwhelmed. The old feelings of fear, shame and anger resurfaced — especially when she watched news or read the endless stories on social media.

“I had to deactivate my personal Facebook account for a little while,” said Andressen, who splits her time between New York and Los Angeles. “I love everybody, but I need my space. I know how much I can take, and I try to keep myself in a protective bubble.”

Since the Weinstein allegations, dozens of men have been publicly accused of sexual abuse and harassment. For women who have been raped, abused and harassed, each day is a fresh hell, as unnerving headlines and stories seep into daily life. Memories of past abuse, previous encounters with inappropriate co-workers, even lingering doubts as to how long-ago personal situations were handled have left women feeling raw, vulnerable and on edge.

“Retraumatizing is kind of the only word that really fits,” said Samantha Field, a 30-year-old writer who has been assaulted by five different men. “It’s difficult watching all of this.”

The Maryland woman has penned articles for online publications on the effects of sexual harassment and assault. She said she was once assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, and a few years ago, an older man in Field’s parents’ church kissed her on the mouth without asking. Writing about the violence against women means she’s developed a protective layer to discuss the topic professionally, but the past few weeks have ratcheted up her stress level.