“There’s Gotta’ be a Better way … There was Nothing Empowering About any of it”: Survivors’ and Stakeholders’ Narratives on the Barriers and Facilitators of Getting a Sexual Assault Kit

Abstract

We examine the experiences of survivors immediately after a sexual assault and the barriers and facilitators to care—when survivors face numerous urgent decisions including possible help-seeking and sexual assault kit collection. We find their choices are often based on incomplete knowledge about the medical process and influenced by misleading media tropes of postassault experiences. Survivors must navigate complex decision-making while coping with trauma, constantly evaluating if each step is “worth it.” Interviews with key stakeholders substantiated these barriers and underscored issues related to their own role in this process. Implications and recommendations for formal social support systems are discussed.

Keywords

sexual assault kit sexual assault medical forensic exam sexual assault sexual assault nurse examiner help-seeking behavior

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