Self‑Blame and Social Reactions After Experiencing Sexual Assault

What is it about?

This study followed 555 adult sexual assault survivors over one year. It focused on two kinds of self-blame: blaming one's character (e.g., “I am weak”) versus blaming one's behavior (e.g., “I did something wrong”). The study also looked at how others responded when survivors told them about the assault. Findings showed that blaming one’s character predicted fewer positive responses from others over time, while behavior-focused blame did not affect responses. Neither character-focused self-blame nor behavioral self-blame related to negative social reactions. Negative reactions from others tended to increase character-focused, (but not behavioral focused) self-blame in survivors. The links between self-blame and social responses were complex, but not reciprocal. This helps clarify how survivors’ feelings interact with the support they get after disclosure.

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Photo by Artem Kovalev on Unsplash

Photo by Artem Kovalev on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Understanding the distinct effects of character-based versus behavior-based self-blame can help improve support for survivors. Information about the dynamics between self-blame and social reactions to sexual assault survivors can be used to develop better training for counselors and advocates. Positive social support may reduce harmful self-blame and support longer-term recovery and psychological well‑being.