TY - JOUR PY - 2024// TI - Exploring the experiences of regional and rural revictimized women in a group empowerment program JO - Journal of child sexual abuse A1 - Hooker, Leesa A1 - Theobald, Jacqui A1 - Power, Jennifer A1 - Corbett, Emily A1 - Wright, Kate SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - Sexual revictimization can have a negative impact on many facets of women's wellbeing, yet limited evidence exists regarding specific interventions that support healing and the reduction of further revictimization. This paper will explore regional and rural women's experience of a group-based empowerment program, the Shark Cage program, in Victoria, Australia. The "Shark Cage" program aims to address revictimization by empowering women and girls to build personal boundaries and assertiveness within the context of gender equality and human rights. Data were collected via participant observations across the 8-week program, in combination with semi-structured interviews with participants (N = 11) pre and post intervention. All participants had access to therapeutic support outside of the program.

FINDINGS indicate that the program fostered connections among women with shared experiences of sexual revictimization, reducing feelings of isolation. Participants detailed the benefit of developing and practicing skills in reducing revictimization, such as assertiveness and boundary setting. Program learning and recovery was embedded within a network of embodied emotions, social connections, cultural norms and place-based relations that influenced how participants recovery could be understood, processed and addressed.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1053-8712 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2024.2356742 ID - ref1 ER -