Sexual Violence and Shame: A Meta-Analysis

Although sexual violence (SV) has been hypothesized to increase shame, the relationship between SV and shame has not been quantified. Addressing this gap is essential for developing targeted interventions for survivors, as shame is a transdiagnostic risk factor for numerous forms of psychopathology and a barrier to service-seeking. This meta-analysis first examines whether individuals exposed to SV demonstrate higher shame than individuals who reported no SV exposure. Second, we assessed the strength of the associations between SV severity and shame severity. Seven databases were searched for studies published from inception to June 2023. Original studies that assessed SV and shame in at least 10 participants were eligible for inclusion. Random effects models examined shame differences between SV survivors and non-SV-exposed individuals and quantified the association between SV severity and shame severity. Meta-analyses of 53 studies (97 effects, N = 15,110) indicated that individuals exposed versus those not exposed to SV experience higher shame (g = 0.55), with medium effects found across SV timing (childhood/adolescence or adulthood) and shame subtypes (trait, body, trauma-related). SV severity was moderately associated with shame (r = .20), with strong correlations found between child/adolescent SV severity and trauma-related shame, and small effects found between adolescent/adult SV severity and trauma-related and body shame. Risk of bias ratings, whether contact SV was experienced, sample type, and gender moderated some models. Our findings suggest that shame is a clinically significant correlate of SV. Interventions that address shame may contribute to more positive outcomes for survivors.