“I Don’t Like Being That Hyperaware of My Body”: Women Survivors of Sexual Violence and Their Experience of Exercise

Abstract

The experience of exercise among women survivors of sexual violence is a multifaceted phenomenon. In effort to inform treatment interventions, we used a phenomenological approach to describe the lived experience of exercise among women survivors of sexual violence. Data analysis from a focus group discussion and individual interviews with eight women survivors receiving services at a rape crisis center (RCC) revealed four themes: exercising (and not exercising) fosters safety, exercising is risky, past trauma restricts exercise choices, and exercising is beneficial. Findings indicate that survivors' experience of exercise is related to their connections with self and their social environment. Survivors' choices related to exercise were impacted by their stage of recovery. A variety of social-contextual factors appeared to support or impede motivation to exercise and it was not disinterest in exercise or low confidence in the ability to exercise, but restricted exercise options perceived as safe that influenced exercise motivation.

Perceived Barriers and Benefits of Exercise Among Men with Histories of Sexual Violence: Impact of PTSD and Physical Activity Status

“…This result emphasizes an important sex-specific difference between men and women with histories of SV in their perceptions of exercise environments. Previous work has repeatedly shown that exercise environments are often unfriendly toward women with histories of SV (Giles & Darroch, 2014; Pebole, Hall, et al, 2021; Smith-Marek et al, 2018). Yet, results here did not corroborate this finding among men, meaning that exercise professionals may have more flexibility in identifying acceptable places for men with histories of SV to exercise when compared to women with histories of SV.…”

Is exercise and yoga a panacea for recovery from sexual violence?: knowing the risks and benefits of yoga and exercise is important

“…This phenomenological study described the experience and meaning of exercise among women survivors of SV 1. Eight women who identified as survivors of SV and participated in an all-women integrative yoga group offered by a rape crisis centre (RCC) were recruited by purposive sampling.…”

“…Although the benefits of NP interventions are known in mental health disorders, little research has been conducted on their risks and benefits for recovery from SV. This study1 describes the benefits and risks of exercise and yoga as experienced by the survivors of SV.…”

“…According to Smith-Marec and Baptist1 exercise and yoga is beneficial in fostering connectivity with one’s body, but the constant hyperawareness about one’s body is a reminder of one’s vulnerability to SV. Survivors of SV should be informed about these contradictory feelings of body connectivity and constant hyperawareness about one’s body prior to engaging in exercise or yoga.…”

Sexual trauma history is associated with reduced orbitofrontal network strength in substance-dependent women

“…If interoception is an important factor in SUD and recovery from SUD, then it is important to consider the implication for the significant subset of SUD individuals with co-morbid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Bodily attention appears to be relevant to the pathology of trauma-linked disorders, which includes intrusive memories and cognitions that may involve, or be triggered by interoceptive sensations and bodily awareness (Borgmann et al, 2014; Jung and Steil, 2013; Price, 2007; Smith-Marek et al, 2018). In line with these behavioral observations, PTSD and sexual trauma have previously been associated with altered brain metabolism in regions associated with interoceptive and somatosensory processing.…”