Beyond the Rape “Victim”–“Survivor” Binary: How Race, Gender, and Identity Processes Interact to Shape Distress

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“Victim” and “survivor” identities are central to discourses on sexual victimization. Activist and academic discourses associate the former with weakness and latter with strength, while centering images and experiences of white women. Yet, little research has explored who identifies as “victims”/“survivors” or how these identities relate to distress. We utilize identity theory to consider how “victim” and “survivor” identities are incorporated into and prioritized within the self among women of color, white women, and men. In a sample of college students who have experienced sexual assault (N = 169), we find identity theory’s core concepts—commitment, prominence, and salience—are strongly and positively correlated across identities, suggesting respondents cannot be easily dichotomized into “victims” and “survivors.” Indeed, most respondents identified with both identities (44%), while 25% identified as “survivors” only and 11% as “victims” only. As expected, respondents who identify only as “victims” or as “victim/survivors” report greater negative emotions and depression and lower self‐esteem than those who identify only as “survivors.” The “victim” identity is particularly damaging for men’s emotional states, while the “survivor” identity ameliorates distress among women of color. We discuss how these identities interact with social identities and each other.