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An Online Resource Library on Domestic & Sexual Violence

Training Bulletins: Neurobiology of Trauma

General Material
Published Date
September, 2020
New Resources Added
July 28, 2026

The series explains how the brain responds to trauma during and after sexual assault, emphasizing that survival responses such as freezing, dissociation, and fragmented memories are normal reactions rather than signs of deception or unreliability. It also encourages investigators, advocates, healthcare providers, and prosecutors to use trauma-informed interviewing techniques and realistic expectations about survivor behavior and memory to better support victims and improve investigations.