Looking for help: Examining the information behaviour of survivors of sexual assault

Abstract

This study examines how people who have experienced sexual assault seek help from a local support service. It took a case study approach by collaborating with Survivor Space Oxfordshire (SSO) – a charity which advocates for and provides counselling services, support groups and independent advice to survivors of sexual assault – to conduct five interviews with survivors who have used SSO’s services. Three significant findings emerged from this study. First, participants’ need for help was often grounded in a need for new information. Second, participants highlighted the difficulty of defining and predicting what help they might need. Third, survivors themselves were consistently positioned as experts, offering one another community support and practical advice. This project sought to understand how users find their way to SSO and the support it provides. This provided valuable insight to SSO, who were at the time looking to expand their services. In addition, by working directly with sexual assault survivors, this study expands knowledge in the library and information studies field by examining the information behaviour of a currently understudied group, with complex context-specific information needs. Its findings have implications both for sexual assault survivors in particular, as well as women navigating the UK’s health and criminal justice systems more broadly. Looking ahead, this paper calls for further research into how information professionals and specialist support services can work together to improve both resources and outcomes for survivors of sexual assault.