It is no secret that South Africa has some of the highest statistics of sexual assault worldwide. Often people become desensitized by these statistics and miss out on the stories of the people behind these numbers. As a clinical psychologist, I am trained in numerous therapeutic interventions that are used to enable clients to work through their trauma. We are challenged as clinicians to move beyond our theoretical knowledge and apply it to the individual and the context we find ourselves in. Yet how do we come to understand the path of recovery often paved with judgement, shame and fear, anxiety, and eventual triumph without listening to those who have walked it? I am continuously inspired by the survivors I see in my practice that manage to share their stories wholeheartedly. We sit and talk about the struggles and the triumphs because they matter. They matter in the sense that events do not have to define people, but they can shape them. As Brene Brown says, “Shame cannot survive being spoken and being met with empathy.”
My passion for working with trauma survivors has led me to seek a deeper understanding of how we are in psychosocial services can move beyond theory and truly help South African women recover from sexual assault. Historically royal or tribal gatherings aimed at discussing important matters were held under trees, here people could highlight their concerns and needs.
What are we doing?
The journey of recovery for a sexual assault survivor has numerous stages that we would like to learn more about. The aim of this study is to develop an intervention guideline for professionals working with sexual assault survivors that is informed by the voice of the women who will receive these services. To look at what we as professionals need to do to help survivors activate their strengths and resources in the recovery journey, we are assessing several aspects of current survivors.
In this study, we assess where survivors are currently in their recovery journey by looking at their psychological well-being and posttraumatic stress. We look at internal and external factors enabling or inhibiting their recovery by measuring their resilience. And lastly, we are looking at whether they have experienced any forms of posttraumatic growth since the event occurred. The questionnaires do no ask participants about the event itself, only the dynamics involved in the recovery that follows.
We are asking; What helped, what didn’t and what advice do you have for professionals and other survivors?
Who are we looking for?
The current study only includes female survivors. This is because the dynamics surrounding recovery
are different for males and females. We hope to conduct a similar study for males in the future. Do
You meet the following criteria?
- Female above 18 in Gauteng who has experienced a sexual assault more than three months ago.
- The sexual assault happened when you were 18 years or older.
- You have told someone about the assault and attended some therapy or intervention.
- You feel you can help others better understand the journey of recovery from sexual assault.
- You are NOT currently involved in a court case about the assault.
Your voice matters: let your story be heard.
What will happen if you complete the questionnaires?
You will be expected to complete five short questionnaires that should take about 30min in total. Firstly, your participation is completely anonymous. You will be sent an R30 data voucher to reimburse you when you have completed the questionnaires if you give us your cell phone number. Your number will not be shared with anyone outside the research team and will be deleted after your voucher has been sent. Participant scores and narratives will be used with current interventions to develop a new South African guideline that will be freely available for organizations that work with sexual assault survivors.