Thirteen Dimensions of Sex Addiction-Induced Trauma (SAIT) Among Partners and Spouses Impacted by Sex Addiction©

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Dr. Omar Minwalla
The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH)

April 2014

The Sex Addiction-Induced Trauma Model© (SAITM©) articulates thirteen dimensions of trauma relevant to the clinical impacts, injuries and symptoms among intimate partners of sex addicts, based on both qualitative research and clinical application with partners and spouses impacted by sex addiction and compulsivity.  Each dimension is a cluster of traumatic impacts, traumatic processes, and post-traumatic symptom sequences.  Not all clusters or dimensions may be relevant for every partner or spouse (Jason, 2009).  Trauma is subjective and individuals are completely different and unique (Jason, 2009).

Dr. Omar Minwalla first studied sexual trauma among partners (Dimension 8) in 2005 and 2006.  From 2008- 2009, Silvia Jason, MFT, CSAT joined Dr. Minwalla and authored the first seven dimensions in concept, along with articulating emotional abuse and specifically gaslighting in a sex addiction-compulsivity and partner and spouse trauma context (Jason, 2009).  Dr. Minwalla and The Institute for Sexual Health (ISH) went on to further develop and refine the thirteen dimensions of sex addiction-induced trauma among partners and spouses through direct clinical application and grounded-theory research methodology (Minwalla, 2012).

The following is derived from the victim’s perspective, from the bottom looking up, NOT just from the top looking down. 

Thirteen Dimensions of Sex Addiction-Induced Trauma (SAIT) among Intimate Partners and Spouses Impacted by Sex Addiction-Compulsivity©:

  1. Discovery Trauma
  2. Disclosure Trauma
  3. Reality-Ego Fragmentation
  4. Impact to Body and Medical Intersection
  5. External Crisis and Destabilization
  6. SAIT Hypervigilance and Re-Experiencing
  7. Dynamics of Perpetration, Violation and Abuse (SAIP)
  8. Sexual Trauma
  9. Gender Wounds and Gender-Based Trauma (GBT)
  10. Relational Trauma and Attachment Injuries
  11. Family, Communal and Social Injuries
  12. Treatment-Induced Trauma
  13. Existential and Spiritual Trauma

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