Understanding the help-seeking decisions of sexual assault survivors: Implications for social work practice in Hong Kong

Abstract

The study aims to adopt a social constructionist and feminist approach to explore the interactional factors that influence the decision of sexual violence survivors to seek help and disclose their sexual abuse experiences in Hong Kong. The study has adopted both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Results suggest that the decisions of sexual assault survivors to disclose their experiences or seek help are not characterized by a rational process based on thoughtful calculation or cost-benefit analysis. The survivors' reactions are social construction processes that were shaped by social context through culture, interpersonal interactions, and support availability.

Sexual exploitation of adolescent students in Tanzania: Implication for social services

“…The next step for social workers is to equip themselves with relevant knowledge and skills. Social workers can help sexually exploited adolescents to redefine their experiences, and they can also encourage survivors to break their silence to eliminate isolation (Mennen, 1990) and the self-blame and internalisation of negative self-evaluation (Leung, 2015). The police can contribute to facilitating reporting and detecting child and adolescent sexual exploitation and/or abuse cases.…”

Culturally Diverse Female-Identified Students Discuss Sexual Assault Policies: Dialectics of Safety/Danger

“…They suggested either a discursive misstep on the part of a supporter or survivor/victim isolation could be catastrophic. Chinese participants discussed dangers associated with exposure of victim status, including compromised marriageability ( Leung, 2017 ), criminalization, and mental health disruption.…”

Rethinking ‘the personal is political:’ Enacting agency in the narrative of sexual harassment experiences in China

“…In China, digital storytelling for sexual violence victims is important since other self-expression channels, such as hotlines, assistance from social workers and news media coverage, are largely insufficient. Studies have demonstrated that help-seeking decisions of sexual assault victims were shaped by interpersonal interactions and the availability of support rather than by rational processes based on thoughtful calculations or cost-benefit analysis (Leung, 2017). China does not have social welfare protection and social support for sexual harassment and sexual assaults.…”