Arriving at readiness to recover emotionally after sexual assault

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to discover behaviors and processes that lead survivors of sexual assault to seek help with emotional recovery. The substantive theory Arriving at Readiness was developed from interviews with 11 women survivors of sexual assault. Eleven categories, each containing several strategies, form the theory. The core variable is arriving at readiness. The findings clarify why survivors often delay obtaining help with emotional recovery. The theory can be used as a tool to make it more likely survivors will be identified and receive help that is responsive to their needs.