With the exception of rapes committed by family members and husbands against wives, stranger rape is typically more violent than acquaintance rape. In spite of this difference, survivors of stranger rape experience similar psychological symptoms as those of acquaintance rape. These symptoms may include feelings of shock and confusion, fear of sex and intimacy, and physical injuries sustained in the attack. However, stranger rape victims often find it easier to recover from the attack, as they do not feel the same sense of betrayal by people they know and even love.
Victims of stranger rape often blame themselves for the attack and fear that they may have encouraged the rapist’s advances. Regardless of the circumstances, a stranger rape survivor is never responsible for the perpetrator’s actions.