A festering sore: A qualitative study carried out in Istanbul on the processes of rebuilding life of adults who were exposed to sexual violence during childhood

This study is an examination of life experiences before sexual violence of adults who suffered from sexual violence during childhood and an examination of how they rebuilt their life after sexual violence in Istanbul. The research was carried out in Istanbul between the years of 2020 – 2022 as it has a large immigrant population from other cities and hosts different cultures together. The theoretical framework of the research was developed benefitting from Anthony Giddens's "theory of structuration", Pierre Bourdieu's "ontological complicity" and Erving Goffman's "impression management" perspectives. In this study, the participants were reached through snowball sampling method by using in-depth interview technique of qualitative research method. In the research, face to face in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 30 participants among whom were 22 women and 8 men between the ages of 18-52, from different socioeconomic and socio-cultural status selected through purposive sampling among those who were exposed to sexual violence during childhood. From a sociological perspective, life experience before sexual violence, being exposed to sexual violence during childhood, short and long duration of sexual violence, and reconstruction of life after sexual violence are examined in the study. Considering that the study includes both female and male participants, the child sexual abuse is assessed without gender discrimination, the research reveals the study of life as a whole and childhood as a period and it is thought that it will contribute to the sociology of childhood. Keywords: Sociology of Childhood, Sexual Violence, Child Sexual Abuse.