“I Betrayed Myself”: A Mixed Methods Study of Moral Injury Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence

This study examined moral injury (MI) among women survivors ( N  = 142) of intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV). IPSV was significantly associated with shame-related moral injury, trust-violation-related moral injury, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results revealed significant indirect effects of IPSV on PTSD via shame-related moral injury and trust-violation-related moral injury. Reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended responses identified three key themes: (a) Self-Betrayal, (b) Self-Blame, and (c) Other-Betrayal. Our findings indicate that moral injury may serve as an important mechanism linking IPSV to PTSD among IPSV survivors.