Social Reactions to Disclosure of Sexual Violence in Adulthood and Women's Sexuality: The Mediating Role of Shame and Guilt

This study examined the mediating role of emotions related to sexual violence in adulthood in the associations between social reactions to sexual violence disclosure and sexual outcomes. Self-reported data were collected from 324 women reporting sexual violence and path analyses were conducted among the 264 women (81.5%) who disclosed their most recent sexual violence experience. Results showed that emotional support was associated with higher sexual satisfaction. Victim blame was associated with greater guilt related to the sexual violence, which, in turn, was associated with higher sexual compulsivity. Stigmatization was associated with greater shame related to the sexual violence, which, in turn, was associated with higher sexual distress and avoidance, and lower sexual satisfaction and function. Our findings highlight the importance of social reactions to sexual violence disclosure in women's sexuality.