“Reclaiming the Narrative” of Sexual Violence Disclosures on Social Media: Social Reactions, Gender Norms, and Recovery

In recent years, social media has become an important platform for sexual violence survivors to disclose their experiences and seek support. Since most research has focused on social reactions to in-person disclosures, less is known about social reactions in online spaces and how they relate to survivors’ mental health. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to explore the aftermath of social media disclosures, focusing on the social reactions they evoke from others and how survivors perceive these as related to their recovery and well-being. A secondary aim was to explore potential sex differences in disclosures and social reactions, which remains a relatively unexplored area. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 sexual violence survivors, 9 women, and 3 men, and the data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes were developed: positive social reactions, healing, negative social reactions, losing control of the narrative, and setbacks in recovery. While all participants articulated experiencing validating and affirming responses that facilitated their recovery, many also described negative social reactions, including disbelief, rejection, and gossip, which hindered their healing process. Gender norms significantly influenced social reactions, with male survivors often facing skepticism and minimization rooted in societal expectations around masculinity. The findings highlight the dual role of social media as a source of empowerment and vulnerability. Furthermore, participants described healing after sexual victimization as a relational, complex, and nonlinear journey, emphasizing the importance of fostering an empathetic and inclusive environment that validates survivors’ voices and actively supports their healing.