Power-Over,Power-To,& Power-From':An lntersectional Examination of Power in the Context of Adolescent SV

Sexual violence has been and continues to be used as a tool of oppression that reinforces existing power asymmetries based on ability, age, class, gender, and sexual orientation. Thus, sexual violence does not happen at random, but follows a pattern in that those with power commit sexual violence against those with limited power. This is absolutely the case when it comes to sexual violence among adolescents. Given the limited power that teens hold as well as the alarmingly high rates of sexual violence among this age group, adolescents are a group persistently targeted for rape and sexual assault. Despite its relevance, the research on power and teens survivors of sexual assault is surprisingly limited. Given this gap, this study explores how power is discussed by survivors of adolescent sexual violence. Using a qualitative research approach and directed content analysis, I sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What is the context (e.g., the who & what) in which power as ‘Power Over,’ ‘To,’ and ‘From’ come up in survivors’ stories (i.e., before, during, and after the assault)? and (2) How do survivors discuss aspects of their identities in relation to these different forms of power? The results of this study indicate that power and intersectionality are a significant part of adolescent survivors’ lived experiences, and have important implications for the work currently being done by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who aim to improve system responses to adolescent survivors of sexual assault.