In What Contexts Do Supporters Provide Positive and Negative Responses to Victims of Nonconsensual Intimate Image Abuse?

Nonconsensual intimate image distribution (NCII) occurs when a person's intimate images or videos are shared or shown to others without their consent. Although NCII victimization is common among young adults and many victims disclose their experiences to others, there is a dearth of research examining the reactions victims receive when they disclose or the factors that might contribute to these reactions. Informed by the broader intimate partner and sexual violence literature, the present study examines supporter, victim, and relational factors that might contribute to social reactions to NCII disclosure. Based on attribution theory and victimization perspective theory, we also hypothesize that these supporter, victim, and relational factors may have primarily indirect effects on social reactions through victim empathy, victim blame, and perceptions of confusion and ineffectiveness in helping. Among a sample of 726 undergraduate students who reported receiving disclosures of NCII, positive and negative social reactions were bivariately associated with several supporter, victim/victimization, and relational factors. Consistent with attribution theory and victimization perspective theories, empathy, victim blame, and feelings of confusion/ineffectiveness about helping mediated associations between a range of victim, supporter, and relational characteristics and social reactions to disclosure. Efforts to modify these perceptions of victims and reduce confusion and ineffectiveness in how to respond to survivors could improve disclosure experiences for NCII survivors.