Asian American Journal of Psychology, Vol 14(3), Sep 2023, 262-273; doi:10.1037/aap0000298
Sexual violence survivors who are South Asian women may experience a dual stigma from the cultural taboo of discussing sex or sexual violence and the cultural stigma of seeking professional mental health support. The present study is a phenomenological investigation to understand the experiences of survivors of sexual violence as they sought support. The researchers conducted semistructured interviews with 20 South Asian American women, asking about their experiences with support seeking after an experience of sexual violence. The researchers then used content analysis to determine three larger themes: emotional stress and cognitive self-blame influencing support seeking, the interpersonal processes and experiences of support seeking, and cultural and societal dimensions that influence support seeking. The findings from this study suggest implications for creating increased access to counseling services and culturally informed trauma treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)