SEXUAL VIOLENCE PRE-HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS: LOOKING BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL HELP-SEEKING BINARY

Sexual violence has garnered attention of scholars, policy makers, and society for decades. Despite increased concerns related to sexual victimization, questions still remain regarding survivors’ decisions to seek help. Limited research exists for exploring help-seeking decisions for sexual violence specifically, and even less is known on how these decisions may deviate for women of Color. Understanding what systems survivors use when they seek help is important for developing culturally appropriate support and services. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, the current study included 55 women across the U.S. to: (1) identify what formal and informal services survivors of sexual violence seek help from, (2) explore how victim and assault characteristics impact individuals pre-help-seeking decisions, and (3) assess barriers to seeking formal and informal help discussed by individuals who experienced sexual victimization. Theoretical implications, policy recommendations, and future directions for research are discussed.