Blogging about sexual assault: a thematic analysis

Pages39-51
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-05-2015-0032
Date08 February 2016
Published date08 February 2016
AuthorHannah Fawcett,Lalita Shrestha
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice
Blogging about sexual assault: a thematic
analysis
Hannah Fawcett and Lalita Shrestha
Dr Hannah Fawcett is Senior
Lecturer in Psychology at the
Department of Psychology,
Manchester Metropolitan
University, Manchester, UK.
Lalita Shrestha is based at the
Department of Psychology,
Manchester Metropolitan
University, Manchester, UK.
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of blogging (writing online weblogs) in facilitating
healing following sexual assault.
Design/methodology/approach To explore how blog writing may facilitate healing and recovery, 30 blog
posts written by survivors of sexual assault were analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings The analysis revealed three themes: the aftermath of abuse, the need for support and helping
others. In accordance with past research, bloggers frequently did not receive the supportive reaction to a
face-to-face disclosure that they desired. Instead, blogging provided a safe environment in which victims
could deal with the ongoing challenge of coping with, and recovering from the abuse. Moreover, blogging
enabled victims to use their negative experience to educate and support others going through a similar
experience, therefore allowing the bloggers to achieve some positive growth.
Practical implications The results suggest that blogging and reading blogs may be beneficial to victims of
sexual assault. Therefore, the findings support the recommendation of blogging by professionals working
with victims of sexual assault.
Originality/value The study presents the first analysis of blogs written by victims of sexual assault to
facilitate their healing.
Keywords Victims, Coping, Recovery, Blogging, Sexual assault, Social support
Paper type Research paper
The term sexual assaultrefers to any form of sexual act committed against another individual
without his or her consent, or against individuals who are unable to give valid consent (Karanfil
et al., 2013). The significant and persistent negative consequences of sexual violence include
interpersonal difficulties and immediate complex emotional reactions such as self-blame,
helplessness, shame and isolation (Moors and Webber, 2012). Sexual victimisation can
also lead to clinically significant psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), depression and various anxiety disorders (Walsh et al., 2010; Littleton et al.,
2012). Studies exploring the long-term impact of sexual abuse have reported significant
variations in coping and symptomology across individuals. Around 20-40 per cent of
sexual abuse survivors report little to no symptomology in adulthood (Finkelhor et al., 1990).
Symptom appearance may be affected by the nature and severity of the abuse, the
relationship of the survivor to the perpetrator, and the coping strategies utilised by
the individual (Walsh et al., 2010). With up to one-third of females in the USA being a victim of
sexual assault in childhood (Walsh et al., 2010), and 473,000 adults experiencing sexual
assault each year in the UK (Home Office, 2013), understanding how best to facilitate coping
amongst sexual assault victims is of paramount importance. Technological advances have
created new avenues for survivors to express their experiences on online blogs, although
research has not fully explored the function and effect of these technologies upon victims
recovery (Yeager, 2012).
Received 21 May 2015
Revised 8 July 2015
9 July 2015
Accepted 9 July 2015
The authors would like to thank
Professor Sarah Grogan for her
helpful comments on an earlier
draft of this paper.
DOI 10.1108/JFP-05-2015-0032 VOL. 18 NO. 1 2016, pp. 39-51, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794
j
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
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