Reasons Why Someone Might Not Report Sexual Assault

Often, well-meaning people will encourage victim/survivors to make a police report following a sexual assault. “Don’t you want to prevent this from happening to other people?” or “They deserve to be held accountable!” are often the arguments that people make to make this report following the most violating and traumatising act to a human possible. This might stem from their internalised belief that the victim/survivor is responsible for the perpetrator’s behaviour. It's not surprising that they (or the victim/survivor) might hold this belief considering we live in a culture where people who are socialised and identify as women, are assigned the responsibility of preventing sexual violence.

So let’s get a few things straight so you can best support victim/survivors:

What is a victim/survivor’s responsibility:

Their wellbeing
Beginning the tremendous task of healing and recovering

What isn't a victim/survivor’s responsibility:

The actions and repercussions of the perpetrator's behaviour (eg. more harm to others)
Stopping further harm
Bringing about justice

It is so important that you are able to support clients to make the choice that is right for them, at that point in time (and to let them know that it might change). It might be healing to make a report. However, there are plenty of good reasons why it might not be.

The reason why it may not be the right thing for someone to report sexual assault:

Retelling the story of their assault may be re-traumatising
The questioning/cross-examination that occurs in court may trigger internalised blame
They may not have the emotional, financial and time resources to dedicate to the process
They may not have the appropriate support to undertake the court process
They might want to let go of the event rather than reliving it

This blog post is a brief exploration of this topic and does not replace therapy. At SHIPS, we have practitioners that are knowledgeable and skilled in a variety of areas including sex therapy, relationships and more. If you may benefit from some support, please check out our website resources, or contact us.

We are also always happy to hear feedback about our blog articles. If you would like to share your experience or feel we may have missed something on this topic, please contact us to let us know.