From Survivor to Advocate: The Therapeutic Benefits of Public Disclosure

This study examined the therapeutic impact of public disclosure for survivors of sexual assault. The purpose was to identify how disclosure in a public setting affected the recovery process of survivors of sexual assault. Three adult women were interviewed about their experiences. This study analyzed the meaning of public disclosure for these women in order to understand if it had therapeutic value in their recoveries. Each woman indicated that public disclosure helped strengthen her recovery. Public disclosure helped these women connect with other survivors and supporters, which assisted in alleviating feelings of shame. There is a need to study public disclosure for survivors of sexual assault further, but this study found that it can be helpful during recovery