Life after Rape: Survivors’ Experiences of Parenting Responses through an Attachment Lens

Abstract

South Africa has one of the highest rates of sexual violence in the world, with an estimated one in four women experiencing sexual assault in their lifetime. It becomes crucial to explore how these post-trauma experiences including resilience and identity are shaped by pre- existing attachment cultures1. This research investigates the nuanced experiences of six South African women following rape, with particular focus on the interplay between attachment cultures and experiences with parental support. Drawing on attachment theory and expansions, qualitative interviews were conducted on the sample who represented diverse attachment cultures. Thematic analysis revealed distinct patterns in how these rape survivors appraised their early attachment experiences, experiences of parental support and the quality of their life post-trauma. Securely attached systems demonstrated adaptive coping strategies and positive experiences with parental support while insecurely attached survivors reported varying degrees of maladaptive coping and perceived parental unavailability or instability. These findings magnified the complex interplay between quality of attachment cultures and response to a traumatic event. Furthermore, it underscores the significance of early attachment experiences in shaping perceptions of support and resilience. These contributions may inform tailored interventions to support sexual assault survivors based on their attachment organization. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on attachment theory and trauma recovery.