Govender, Nikita2025-08-112024Govender, Nikita . (2024). Life after Rape: Survivors’ Experiences of Parenting Responses through an Attachment Lens [Master`s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace.https://hdl.handle.net/10539/45801A research report submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts, In the Faculty of Humanities, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024South 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.en© 2024 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.UCTDSouth Africarapeattachment theoryattachment culturetrauma recoveryparental supportDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgSDG-5: Gender equalitySDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions