Through the survivor’s lens: How focal concerns theory shapes decisions to report sexual violence

Sexual violence remains one of the most underreported crimes, with survivors often facing disbelief, blame, and systemic barriers when considering disclosure to formal authorities. While focal concerns theory (FCT) has been widely applied to understand legal actors' decision-making, little is known about how survivors themselves perceive these focal concerns and how such perceptions shape reporting decisions. This study addresses this gap by examining the perspectives of female survivors of sexual violence in the United States. Drawing on 58 semi-structured interviews, a phenomenological approach was employed to explore survivors' interpretations of the three core components of FCT—blameworthiness, community protection, practical constraints, and perceptual shorthand. Findings highlight that survivors frequently internalized concerns related to blameworthiness. Additionally, participants cited community protection as a motivator, particularly the desire to prevent future harm, while practical constraints such as fear of secondary victimization, financial and logistical burdens, and mistrust of police further deterred reporting. These findings lend support for the FCT by demonstrating its extended use to explore survivor decision making. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.