Self-Compassion and Sexual Assault Victimization: A Systematic Review

Sexual assault survivors demonstrate substantial resilience, prompting calls for strength-based approaches to understanding recovery. One construct receiving increasing attention is self-compassion (i.e., treating oneself with kindness and understanding in the face of suffering), which may buffer against the negative mental health effects of assault victimization. The current systematic review synthesized data from 31 peer-reviewed studies examining self-compassion, sexual assault exposure, and mental health. Reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250648494), the review included observational and experimental studies assessing sexual assault victimization and self-compassion across the lifespan. Most studies were cross-sectional, with only three longitudinal investigations. Samples were drawn primarily from the United States, Canada, and Western Europe and frequently relied on undergraduate or online convenience samples. Child sexual abuse was the most commonly assessed type of violence, and self-compassion was typically measured using Neff's Self-Compassion Scale. Childhood or adulthood sexual victimization was not reliably associated with differences in self-compassion; when significant associations emerged, effect sizes were small. Instead, self-compassion appeared to distinguish survivors experiencing greater versus lower psychological distress. Across survivor samples, higher self-compassion was associated with lower distress and greater well-being. Several investigations supported indirect pathways through which higher self-compassion was associated with reduced distress via lower self-blame and shame. Findings suggest that self-compassion operates as a protective intrapersonal response shaping how survivors relate to their experiences. Promoting compassionate responses, both from others and from survivors toward themselves, may therefore be important for mitigating the mental health consequences of sexual victimization.