Coping With Sexuality Following Adult Sexual Violence: A Qualitative Interview Study of Adult Survivors' Experiences

Studies have shown that experiencing adult sexual violence affects female and male survivors' sexuality in multiple ways, including leading to decreased sexual satisfaction, increased sexual dysfunction, changes in sexual frequency, and increased sexual risk behavior. The available evidence, however, fails to capture how female and male survivors learn to manage these challenges and even experience empowerment. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to utilize qualitative interview data to shed light on survivors' postassault sexuality experiences. A sample of four male and 10 female adult sexual violence survivors completed a semistructured interview about the psychosocial impact of sexual violence on their lives. A reflexive thematic analysis revealed that coping with postassault challenges in sexuality was characterized by a process of becoming aware of their own sexual needs and trying to communicate these to their partners. This was demonstrated to be an ongoing and nonlinear process. Respondents explained how they alternately and simultaneously utilized different approaches to understand their needs with some survivors' experiences reflecting eventual empowerment with regard to their sexuality. The current study illustrates the importance of assessing survivors' sexual experiences following an assault and supporting them in managing the sexual challenges they are faced with in an adaptive way that could facilitate future sexual empowerment.