“It Literally Makes Me Feel Harder to Kill”: A Qualitative Study of the Perceived Benefits of Recreational Martial Arts Practice Among Women Sexual Assault Survivors

Abstract

Sexual assault is a highly consequential public health issue associated with multiple mental health sequelae. Given the mental health impact of sexual assault, understanding the recovery strategies survivors utilize is critical. A growing body of work suggests that physical activity may represent a powerful recovery tool post-trauma. However, existing work has primarily focused on the benefits of yoga or cardio exercise. Martial arts may provide unique benefits to sexual assault survivors including increased self-defense self-efficacy, empowerment, and corrective experiences with trauma reminders. However, no extant research has examined the perceived benefits of recreational martial arts practice for sexual assault survivors. The current study utilized content analysis of responses to items assessing the perceived recovery benefits of martial arts among a sample of primarily cisgender women martial arts practitioners (n = 50) with sexual assault histories. Survivors described multiple recovery benefits to their practice. Some benefits described were similar to those associated with other forms of physical activity, such as access to social support, improved physical health, and improved well-being. Other benefits identified were martial arts-specific including survivors viewing martial arts practice as a tool to reclaim bodily autonomy, decrease perceived vulnerability to future sexual assault, and manage PTSD symptoms and triggers. Findings support the potential of martial arts as a powerful recovery tool for survivors. Future research should evaluate how martial arts practice can be structured to ensure that it is healing and empowering.