Impact of Self-Blame and Social Reactions on Adult Sexual Assault Sequelae

This study examined the effects of self-blame attribution and social response after disclosure of sexual assault on the adult female victims’ trauma symptoms. The author applied a sequential explanatory mixed method and quantitatively analyzed the data from 81 women and subsequently conducted in-depth interviews with 10 women who experienced sexual assault in their adulthood. In the final stage, we integrated the two phases and interpreted how self-blame, family reactions, response from institutions, and rape myths affect the sequelae of the victims of sexual assault. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship and impact of individual and social contextual factors of sexual assault sequelae.