Engagement With Online Sexual Trauma-Related Content Among Women Who Have Experienced Sexual Trauma

Seeking online social support has become increasingly common due to widespread use of social media; however, little is known about the experiences of women survivors of sexual trauma who engage with online sexual trauma-related content and whether this has implications for physical and mental health. This mixed-methods study examined somatic and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among 173 women (mean age = 37) with a history of unwanted sexual contact, comparing those who engaged with online trauma-related content to those who did not. Women were asked about their online experiences to gain a better understanding of their perceptions of engagement with this content via an online survey, which also included measures of somatic symptoms, PTSS, stress reactivity, emotion regulation, mindfulness, and meaning made. Many identities were represented in the sample (17% non-cisgender, 35% non-heterosexual, and 34% racial/ethnic minorities). Results revealed that meaning-making was associated with fewer somatic symptoms, while stress reactivity predicted greater PTSS and somatic symptoms among women engaging with online sexual trauma-related content. Qualitative findings identified three themes with corresponding subthemes: (1) Intrapersonal experiences (positive affective experiences, negative affective experiences, meaning-making, skill development), (2) Interpersonal experiences (healing through community, barriers to interpersonal interaction, disengagement from community), and (3) Engagement with the online modality. Results underscore the clinical importance of addressing social media use in trauma recovery and inform the development of trauma-informed, evidence-based digital tools for survivors.