Rethinking Revictimization

Survivors of childhood abuse have a heightened risk of experiencing adulthood interpersonal violence. Existing theories explain revictimization through the victim's deficits and past experiences of violence. These theories fail to explain the causes of revictimization, can lead to ineffective interventions, and can harm victims. This article presents a secondary analysis of the qualitative literature inspired by Eve Tuck's formulation of desire-based research, which originally aimed to address similar narratives in the fields of education research and Indigenous studies. This analysis shows the benefits of a theoretical approach that situates the individual's motivations within an interpersonal, social, and cultural context.