Women’s Strategies for Navigating Disclosure of a History of Sexual Trauma with Current Intimate Partners

Abstract

The experience of sexual trauma is common, especially for women. One way to mitigate the adverse social and behavioral health outcomes associated with sexual trauma is through the provision of social support. However, before social support can be provided, there is a need for the survivor to disclose to close others, including romantic partners. This study aimed to understand how women with a history of sexual trauma navigate disclosing these experiences with a current intimate partner. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 women with a history of sexual trauma who described themselves as being in a healthy relationship at the time of interview. Interview transcripts were analyzed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis, identifying five overarching themes, including (a) guarding privacy ownership, (b) establishing communication boundaries, (c) utilizing an external impetus, (d) minimizing re-traumatization, and (e) managing the tension between the need for privacy and disclosure. The results provide a clearer understanding as to how women navigate disclosing very private and sensitive information concerning their experiences with sexual trauma communication in a healthy relationship. Future research can build upon these findings by examining additional intersections of experience and current policies and educational efforts can look toward this body of research to see clear evidence of the need for destigmatization to address the prevalence of shame in women’s stories. Our findings encourage clinicians to learn from the tactics employed by survivors to develop strategies for their clients and for future researchers to consider the complexity of disclosure to intimate partners. There are risks involved with disclosure and a societal need to address the shame women feel about their sexual trauma experiences as they seek to develop and maintain healthy intimate relationships beyond the experience of sexual trauma.