Victim, Survivor, or Other? Labels and their Effects After Experiences of Sexual Assault

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Abstract

Women who have experienced sexual assault and other types of violence and abuse are sometimes referred to as “victims,” at other times as “survivors,” and sometimes as “victims-survivors.” This paper explores how these labels developed through social movements against violence against women and why their distinctions matter. Lastly, the paper discusses their implications for criminological theory, victim advocacy, and health care and criminal legal practice and their decisions about which label to adopt.

Author

• Kathleen Ratajczak, University of Kentucky