The findings from this study suggest when men recount the time they perpetrated sexual violence, they often express the following emotions: shame, guilt, depression, and anger. These emotions also were related to the details of the incident or men’s attitudes. Expressing shame was most likely in men who were intoxicated and were uncertain about whether they had consent during the incident. Men who expressed guilt were likely to report self-growth after the incident. Expressing depression was most likely in stories where men reported social isolation after the incident; and anger was related to men expressing hostility towards women and denying responsibility.
Brennan, C. L., Swartout, K. M., Cook, S. L., & Parrott, D. J. (2018). A qualitative analysis of offenders’ emotional responses to perpetrating sexual assault. Sexual Abuse, 30(4), 393-412.