Sexual assault is a highly consequential public health issue associated with multiple mental health sequelae. Given the mental health impact of sexual assault, understanding the recovery strategies survivors utilize is critical. A growing body of work suggests that physical activity may represent a powerful recovery tool post-trauma. However, existing work has primarily focused on the benefits of yoga or cardio exercise. Martial arts may provide unique benefits to sexual assault survivors including increased self-defense self-efficacy, empowerment, and corrective experiences with trauma reminders. However, no extant research has examined the perceived benefits of recreational martial arts practice for sexual assault survivors. The current study utilized content analysis of responses to items assessing the perceived recovery benefits of martial arts among a sample of primarily cisgender women martial arts practitioners (n = 50) with sexual assault histories. Survivors described multiple recovery benefits to their practice. Some benefits described were similar to those associated with other forms of physical activity, such as access to social support, improved physical health, and improved well-being. Other benefits identified were martial arts-specific including survivors viewing martial arts practice as a tool to reclaim bodily autonomy, decrease perceived vulnerability to future sexual assault, and manage PTSD symptoms and triggers. Findings support the potential of martial arts as a powerful recovery tool for survivors. Future research should evaluate how martial arts practice can be structured to ensure that it is healing and empowering.

性侵犯是一个非常重要的公共卫生问题，与多种心理健康后遗症相关。鉴于性侵犯对心理健康的影响，了解幸存者采用的康复策略至关重要。越来越多的研究表明，体力活动可能是创伤后强大的恢复工具。然而，现有的工作主要集中在瑜伽或有氧运动的好处上。武术可以为性侵犯幸存者提供独特的好处，包括提高自卫自我效能、赋权和创伤提醒的纠正经验。然而，现有的研究还没有研究过娱乐性武术练习对性侵犯幸存者的好处。目前的研究利用了对评估武术对有性侵犯历史的顺性别女性武术练习者样本（ n = 50）的康复益处的项目的反应进行内容分析。幸存者描述了他们的实践对康复的多种好处。所描述的一些好处与其他形式的身体活动相关的好处类似，例如获得社会支持、改善身体健康和改善福祉。确定的其他好处是针对武术的，包括幸存者将武术练习视为恢复身体自主权、减少对未来性侵犯的脆弱性以及管理创伤后应激障碍症状和触发因素的工具。研究结果支持武术作为幸存者强大的康复工具的潜力。未来的研究应该评估如何构建武术练习，以确保它具有治愈作用和赋予力量。