“When a Tornado Hits Your Life:” Exploring Cyber Sexual Abuse Survivors’ Perspectives on Recovery

Abstract

Introduction: Forty-eight US states and 11 countries have enacted legislation criminalizingthe act of revenge porn, or cyber sexual abuse. This represents a shift in recognition ofthe effects of cyber sexual abuse, as survivors continue to face societal norms of victim-blaming. By capturing stories of individuals who consider having overcome their experienceof cyber sexual abuse, we aim to understand the process of recovery. Methods: We conductedqualitative interviews with 15 adults who indicated, through a digital eligibility form, that theyhad “overcome” their incident of cyber sexual abuse. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, theauthors coded the data, met to determine consistency, and arrived at consensus on the themes. Results: Analysis identified six themes, with the fourth theme characterizing the temporalrelationship between the first three and the last two: (1) Survivors exhibited externalized andinternalized stigma; (2) Survivors experienced varying levels of professionalism and supportfrom law enforcement and legal professionals; (3) A substantial burden on the survivor toeducate and explain about cyber sexual abuse; (4) The “Fuck it!” point: The point where thereis a noticeable shift in survivors’ attitudes and behaviors in their stories; (5) All survivors wereforced to become their own advocate, many an advocate for others; (6) Survivors embraced anacceptance of a “new normal." Discussion: Future research needs to focus on how changingstructured protocols and trainings can contribute to shifting the burden of blame in cases ofcyber sexual abuse from the survivor to the abuser.