Features of self-harming behavior in women who survived the experience of sexual violence

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of self-harming behavior (SHB) in female survivors of sexual violence (SV). The study is based on a sample of 102 women aged 18 to 40 years (M = 25.18; SD = 6.74), who were divided into four groups depending on the experience of SHB and SV. The following psychodiagnostic methods were used in the study: Self-Harm Claims Questionnaire, Situational Body Image Dissatisfaction Questionnaire, Dissociation Scale, and non-parametric methods of statistical analysis. The results showed that women who use self-harm after sexual violence have a 1.5 times higher level of dissociation than the group of survivors without SP. Self-harm in women with SV experience predominantly fulfills anti-dissociative and anti-suicidal functions. High rates of dissatisfaction with their bodies, as well as the level of dissociation as a psychological defense mechanism, become specific markers of women who have experienced sexual violence and use autoaggressive coping to cope with it. Conclusions. The findings underscore the importance of early identification of suicidal behavior risk and the development of psychotherapeutic approaches aimed at reducing dissociation, improving attitudes toward the body, and replacing self-harm with adaptive strategies.

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