The ‘fight or flight response’ is often used to describe how humans respond to threat. It’s important to understand how our brain protects us in dangerous situations and how these responses are instinctive, automatic and not cognitive. We must therefore not blame a survivor for their response.
When faced with threat, an individual may:
Fight
Physically fighting, pushing, struggling, and/or fighting verbally e.g. saying ‘no’.
Flee (flight)
Putting distance between themselves and the danger. For example: running, hiding, or backing away.
Freeze
Going still and silent.
Freezing is not giving consent, it is an instinctive survival response
Friend
‘Befriending’ the person who is dangerous, by perhaps soothing, negotiating, bribing, or pleading with them.
Flop
Similar to freezing, except the body may go floppy. The individual’s mind can also shut down to protect itself.