Talwar Shivangi, Kennerley Helen, Jadhav Sushrut, Killaspy Helen, Sagar Rajesh, Appleton Rebecca, Billings Jo
Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2025 Dec;16(1):2552532. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2025.2552532. Epub 2025 Sep 17.
The high prevalence of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in India is a cause for concern. Survivors of CSA often experience psychosocial difficulties in their adult lives. Whilst their difficulties are partly recognised in India, there is a need for further exploration on the availability and access to support. We explored the views and experiences of adult survivors of CSA in India on different types of treatment and support. We conducted semi-structured interviews with adults who were sexually abused before the age of 18. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, followed by narrative analysis of two transcripts. We interviewed 10 adult survivors of CSA in India. All participants were female with formal education. We conceptualised their recovery beginning with initial introspection and reliance, for example, on artistic and animal-assisted avenues. This is followed by seeking informal support, and, for some, seeking more formal support. Some also sought help through public figures, social media and Government initiatives and/or from their faith communities. We have further presented two narrative summaries explaining the genre, tone and core narrative of participants' experiences. Our findings suggest that these adult female survivors of CSA in India predominantly relied on their own coping strategies in the absence of holistic support. This was pronounced due to the dearth of mental health and social care for those who have experienced CSA in India. Future research needs to focus on understanding the meaning and language of CSA to enable the development of culturally tailored interventions.
印度儿童性虐待（CSA）的高发生率令人担忧。CSA的幸存者在成年后往往会经历心理社会方面的困难。虽然印度对他们的困难有所认识，但仍需进一步探索支持的可得性和获取途径。我们探讨了印度成年CSA幸存者对不同类型治疗和支持的看法与经历。我们对18岁之前遭受性虐待的成年人进行了半结构化访谈。数据采用反思性主题分析进行分析，随后对两份访谈记录进行了叙事分析。我们采访了10名印度成年CSA幸存者。所有参与者均为受过正规教育的女性。我们将她们的康复过程概念化为始于最初的内省和依赖，例如依靠艺术和动物辅助途径。接下来是寻求非正式支持，对一些人来说，还会寻求更正式的支持。一些人还通过公众人物、社交媒体和政府举措及/或从其宗教团体寻求帮助。我们还给出了两份叙事摘要，解释了参与者经历的体裁、语气和核心叙事。我们的研究结果表明，在缺乏全面支持的情况下，这些印度成年女性CSA幸存者主要依靠自己的应对策略。由于印度为经历过CSA的人提供的心理健康和社会护理匮乏，这种情况尤为明显。未来的研究需要专注于理解CSA的含义和语言，以便开发适合文化背景的干预措施。
