“The ugliness of it seeps into me”: Experiences of vicarious trauma among female psychologists treating survivors of sexual assault
Loading...
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MPDI
Abstract
The current study explores the lived experiences of female psychologists who provide
psychological treatment to women survivors of sexual assault. These practitioners are a population
of special interest due to the frequency of their exposure to narratives and graphic images of sexual
trauma. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 female South African psychologists. The
data, which were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological approach, revealed experiences
characteristic of vicarious traumatization. Participants reported having an enhanced sense of personal
vulnerability to sexual assault and heightened awareness of the betrayals of trust that women experience from male figures, which has led to increased mistrust of men and hypervigilance regarding
the safety of their daughters. Internalization of feelings of helplessness experienced by the victim
evoked self-blame for practitioners and appraisals of being complicit in abuse. Practitioners also
experienced survivor guilt about being spared from harm. Symptoms of intrusive re-experiencing
of client trauma and cognitive and behavioral disengagement were evident. These findings have
important implications for clinical practice and underscore the necessity for clinicians to cultivate an
awareness of the impact of treating sexual trauma and working in ways that are self-protective.
Description
Keywords
Psychologists, Sexual assault, Survivor guilt, Treatment, Vicarious trauma
Citation
Padmanabhanunni, A., & Gqomfa, N. (2022). “The ugliness of it seeps into me”: Experiences of vicarious trauma among female psychologists treating survivors of sexual assault. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7), 3925. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073925