“You Just Gotta Watch What You Say in Those Situations”: A Normative Approach to Confidant Communication Surrounding Sexual Assault Disclosure

Abstract

Although less than a third of sexual assaults are reported to authorities, survivors often disclose to family, friends, or romantic partners. However, survivor-confidant communication during and following disclosure may be challenging. Research has offered little insight into the theoretical bases for such difficulty or the ways confidants effectively address the challenges they perceive. Through qualitative interviews with 26 confidants, we develop normative theory of confidants’ experiences of and responses to sexual assault disclosure. Disclosure sets the stage for challenges in communicating support and respecting survivor privacy. Confidants respond via an array of behaviors, each with relative advantages and disadvantages.

Keywords:

• Communication Theory
• Interpersonal Communication
• Relationships

The authors wish to thank John Caughlin and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript and Jennifer Scott for her support of this project. A previous version of this article was presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the International Communication Association.