Selvbebreidelse hos voldtektsofre

Victims of sexual assault often blame themselves for their victimization. Self-blame attributions are understood as an attempt to regain the perception of control and meaning in life after experiencing a traumatic event. Traditionally, self-blame has been considered an attribution that would affect victims recovery negatively. However, Janoff-Bulman (1979) argues that self-blame attributions in some cases may be an adaptive response, by combating feelings of helplessness and contributing to a sense of control. The purpose of this paper is to examine the possible connection between self- blame and perceived control, as well as the relationship between self-blame and recovery, in victims of sexual assault. The empirical literature do not indicate that self- blame is associated with adaptive recovery in victims of sexual assault, and the relationship between self-blame and perceived control depends on various modifiers. The adaptive function of perceived control in relation to adjustment to negative life events, also depends on several moderating factors. The conclusion is that self-blame may reflect an adaptive motivation to achieve control, but self-blame is generally not an adaptive response in victims of sexual assault