Abstract
Background: sexual assault is physically forced or otherwise coerced penetration even if slight of the vulva or anus, using a penis, other body parts or an object. Global prevalence figure indicates that 1 in 3 (35 %) of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. There are limited researches conducted on the area of lived experiences of women with sexual violence. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of sexual assault survivor women in Hosanna, Ethiopia. Method: Phenomenological study design was carried out among purposively selected six sexual assault survivor women’s and three key informants. In-depth interviews were conducted using local language, Amharic by using a semi structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed and translated into English, and the data were analyzed thematically by qualitative data management software (Atlas ti version 7.0.15). Result: Not only the community who victimizes the survivors; the survivors themselves isolate from the community. All the survivors’ quest for revenge besides seeking justice. Coping of the survivors affected with a feeling of justice is done or not done, social reaction. They have also strong intention to disclose the issue for their close family and community member. The participants live with fear and distrust; afraid of being raped again, they don’t dare daring to trust people easily. Conclusion: The current study showed that sexual assault was a lifetime journey to recover. Some community members also blamed by the survivors for failing to help during their bad times. Therefore, community based awareness campaign should be implemented. In parallel, health policy makers and health professionals should give due emphasis on build post-rape care units or integrated service with other units.