The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends universal sexual violence screenings during routine visits. Although one in three women in the United States experience sexual abuse, research has shown that these discussions often don’t take place. An analysis of 16 in-depth interviews with women who had experienced rape, molestation, coercion or other forms of sexual violence shows that communication was key to coping with and making sense of their experiences, despite the women facing a “stigma of silence” in their families and communities.