The question “Why didn’t you scream?” often comes up after an assault. It’s hurtful, unfair… and above all, it ignores a neurological reality: the freeze response.
The Freeze Response: A Brain Reaction
Freezing is an automatic brain reaction to extreme danger. It causes total paralysis:
- No words
- No movement
- No ability to flee
- You’re frozen, like petrified.
This is not a weakness, not a choice. It’s a survival reflex, as instinctive as breathing.
What Happens in the Brain?
- The amygdala detects danger and triggers intense stress: a surge of adrenaline, cortisol, etc.
- The prefrontal cortex, which handles thinking and decision-making, shuts down.
- The result: the body enters “freeze mode”, like going on standby to survive.
👉 This reaction is common in cases of sexual violence. It’s well-documented in neuroscience and frequently observed in victims (Sources: France Culture, Psychologue.net, EMDR79).
Testimonies of Freezing
“I wanted to scream, but no sound came out. I felt trapped in my own body.”
— Camille, 23
“I was screaming in my head, but outside… nothing.”
— Samira, 34
Toward Legal Recognition?
A proposed law, led by MP Sabrina Sebaihi, suggests recognizing freezing as a form of coercion in the legal definition of rape (Source: Nice-Matin).
Currently, the law requires visible signs of physical resistance (like screaming, fleeing). But freezing prevents any reaction.
Recognizing this would allow us to:
- Better protect victims.
- Adapt the legal standards of evidence to neurological reality.
- Remove guilt from those who were unable to react.
What You Need to Remember
- Not screaming never means giving consent.
- Freezing is a normal, automatic, neurological reaction.
- It’s time for justice and society to fully acknowledge it.
What Now?
- Raise awareness in your circles.
- Train professionals in healthcare, justice, and education.
- Listen to victims with empathy, not judgment.
A frozen body didn’t “do nothing.”
It survived.