Replication Data for: When the Personal Becomes Political: Sexual Assault and Women’s Political Engagement

Canonical feminist texts describe how some women have found political meaning in their identities as sexual assault survivors. Drawing on interviews, we develop a theory about whether, how, and for whom sexual violence compels women’s political participation. For some women, sexual violence shatters victims’ core beliefs in ways that facilitate personal growth and resilience. This process is often facilitated by solidaristic ties with other survivors, through which women crystallize their interests around the right to be free from violence and their demands for state responsiveness. We test implications of our theory with an original survey of American women. Women who report having experienced sexual assault or rape report higher levels of political participation than otherwise similar women. This association is stronger among Democratic women and those with higher socioeconomic status, and weaker among Black women. Although reactions vary, participating in politics allows some survivors to turn their pain into purpose.经典女权主义文本（canonical feminist texts）阐述了部分女性如何在自身性侵犯幸存者（sexual assault survivors）的身份认同中找寻到政治意义。本研究依托访谈资料，构建了一项关于性暴力（sexual violence）是否会促使女性参与政治（political participation）、如何产生这一影响，以及具体针对哪些群体的理论。对部分女性而言，性暴力会击碎受害者的核心信念，但这种冲击却能助力其实现个人成长与心理韧性的塑造。这一过程往往依托与其他幸存者之间的互助纽带得以推进：女性借此明确自身的利益诉求，即追求免受暴力侵害的权利，以及要求国家作出相应回应的主张。本研究通过针对美国女性开展的原创性调研，对该理论的相关推论进行了检验。自述曾遭遇性侵犯或强奸的女性，其政治参与度显著高于其他特征与之相似的女性。这一相关关系在民主党女性（Democratic women）以及社会经济地位（socioeconomic status）较高的群体中更为显著，而在黑人女性群体中则相对较弱。尽管个体反应存在差异，但参与政治能够帮助部分幸存者将痛苦转化为前行的目标。