Sexual Violence and Mental Health: An Analysis of the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion Using a Feminist Lens.

Feminist theories describe how women who experience sexual violence often internalize cultural narratives which can lead to self-blame and disconnection. Self-compassion has the potential to provide a buffer against these negative outcomes. This study explored self-compassion as a mediator of the association between experiencing sexual violence and negative mental health outcomes. The sample consisted of 368 undergraduate women. A path analysis revealed that experiencing sexual violence prior to the beginning of the semester was positively associated with self-criticism, anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms at the end of the semester directly and indirectly through self-compassion mid-semester. Clinical and research implications are also discussed.