Social Reactions to Sexual Assault Disclosure: A Qualitative Study of Informal Support Dyads

Kirkner

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation

2019

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Following sexual assault, survivors may turn to the civil or criminal justice systems in pursuit of some form of legal justice. Informal support providers (SPs) often play a large role in survivor's post-assault experiences and recovery, including providing support during survivors' decision to pursue legal justice and in navigating the system. Yet, this has not been thoroughly examined in research, particularly through a dyadic lens. Using qualitative dyadic results from 45 survivor-SP matched pairs (i.e., friend, family, or significant other), the current study addresses this gap by looking broadly at survivors' post-assault experiences with the criminal and civil legal systems. Of the 45 pairs in the sample, the current study presents findings from a subsample of 28 survivors and 13 SPs regarding post-assault legal system experiences. Our findings suggest that survivors and SPs consider the perceived strength of their case, perceptions of police, and the possibility of institutional bias when deciding to report the assault to the police. Interviews revealed that reasons for legal system involvement extend beyond pursuance of perpetrator prosecution, such as filing for custody of their children after leaving a domestic violence situation or seeking financial compensation. Many survivors who had interactions with the police and legal system experienced secondary victimization, while a few survivors had positive experiences, despite their expectations. We recommend improved access to survivor advocates and suggest directions for future research stemming from findings.

Section: Informal Supportmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Qualitative Study Of Sexual Assault Survivors’ Post-Assault Legal System Experiences

Kirkner

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation

2019

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“…Most research to date has focused on survivors, informal support sources, or professionals, separately. The few studies examining social support following sexual assault disclosure show that survivors and SPs do not always perceive disclosure and social reactions in the same way (Davis & Brickman, 1996; Lorenz et al, 2017). This is likely the case regarding post-assault substance use as well.…”

Section: Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is likely the case regarding post-assault substance use as well. Specifically, victims and supporters may agree more on SPs supportive behavior, but victims may perceive more unsupportive behavior from SPs than SPs report they gave to victims (Lorenz et al, 2017). Research has yet to study survivors and their informal support networks simultaneously to try to obtain a richer picture of the ways in which recovery unfolds in the context of relationships over time.…”

Section: Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Postassault substance use and coping: a qualitative study of sexual assault survivors and informal support providers

Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly

Kirkner

et al. 2018

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This qualitative interview study examined 45 informal support dyads where a sexual assault was disclosed. Data from matched pairs of survivors and their primary informal support provider (e.g., friend, family, significant other), were used to explore the survivor-support provider (SP) perspectives of coping with assault-related distress via substance use and the effects of survivor substance use on the survivor-SP relationship. Results revealed that survivors’ use of drinking and/or drugs to cope had both positive and negative effects on survivor-SP relationships. Findings also showed that SPs play various roles in providing support to survivors who cope via substance use, including engaging in substance use with the survivor and efforts to help get help in their recovery from the assault and substance abuse. Suggestions are made for how safe spaces can be provided where survivors and supporters can get information and treatment, whether formal or informal, that addresses sexual assault, PTSD and substance abuse issues in an integrated way.

“…Relationship quality assessments were shown to vary by relationship type, as survivors may engage in a positive-reframing of negative social reactions (e.g. an egocentric social reaction from the support provider was perceived positively by the survivor), which could protect the relationship from the damage of unsupportive or harmful social reactions (Ahrens & Aldana, 2012;Lorenz et al, 2017). Some survivors in Ahrens and Aldana's (2012) study described relationships deteriorating following disclosure, but that was associated with poorer relationship quality prior to disclosure.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Past studies have used the same dyadic interview data to examine social reactions from informal supporters. The first looked broadly at social reactions to sexual assault disclosure through the lens of the dyadic relationship type (friend, family, significant other), revealing the potential for identifying relational patterns occurring in social reactions not captured through a survivor-only perspective (Lorenz, Ullman, Kirkner, Mandala, Vasquez, Sigurvinsdottir, 2017). Kirkner, Lorenz, Ullman, & Mandala (in press) explored the impact of receiving a disclosure and dealing with the emotional weight of disclosures, including help-seeking, among SPs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Dyadic Study of Impacts of Sexual Assault Disclosure on Survivors’ Informal Support Relationships

O’Callaghan

et al. 2018

J Interpers Violence

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After a sexual assault, victims often disclose their assault to an informal support provider (SP) to receive social support. Ample research exists on social reactions of informal SPs to disclosure and how those reactions affect the victim both positively and negatively, but little research exists on how the disclosure impacts a survivor's support relationships both in the short and in the long term. This qualitative interview study examined 45 ethnically diverse informal support dyads where women disclosed sexual assault to an informal SP (e.g., friend, family, significant other). Assault disclosure was examined to determine its impact on relationship quality of survivors and their SPs. Results revealed positive and negative effects on survivor-SP relationships of assault disclosure and social reactions. In almost all matched pairs (91%), the survivor, SP, or both remarked on how the relationship had changed following disclosure. Family member SPs spoke of survivors' risk-taking and poor relationship choices. Significant others spoke of the toll of supporting survivors who sometimes left their needs unmet and strained their relationships with survivors. Friend SPs often appraised how the survivor engaged in other types of relationships, but overall felt that their relationships had become stronger or closer as a result of the disclosure. Implications of this study include acknowledging that informal supporters, particularly significant others, can experience adverse effects after disclosure, and that help is needed not only for survivors but also for their informal support sources. Future research should continue to investigate both the short-term and longitudinal impacts of sexual assault disclosure on survivors' informal support relationships.