Breaking the Silence: Women's Experiences of Christian Gender and Sexuality and Sexual Assault

Abstract

Women survivors of sexual assault who have been exposed to Christian teachings often grapple with religious narratives that shape how they interpret their experience and heal from the assault. Previous qualitative research has examined how survivors of sexual assault are impacted by Christian teachings about sexuality or gender in specific populations (e.g. Christian denominations, those abused by clergy, etc.), but has yet to examine the similarities and differences between experiences of women from different denominations or those assaulted by non-clergy or clergy members. This study conducted semi-structured interviews with five women who self-identified as survivors of sexual assault, whether by clergy or other individuals, and who were also exposed to Christian teachings on sexuality or gender. Following an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, the interviews were analyzed to explore how the participants made meaning of their experiences. Five superordinate themes emerged from the interviews: Vulnerability, Perceptions, Impacts, Navigating Disclosure, and Pathways to Healing. These findings were discussed through a feminist theory of trauma as a model for how psychotherapists can best support this population.