Focusing mainly on the effects of fear and helplessness in PTSD, shame has been described as being anunderestimated possible factor for post trauma reactions. Shame and shame proneness have independently been shown to predict maladjustment after traumatizing events like criminal victimization, while guilt typically is described as unrelated to symptomatology. In a cross-sectional study, victims of interpersonal violence were investigated. Measures of shame and guilt proneness as well as self-rated experienced shame and guilt in association with the crime were related to symptomatology (PTSD-specific as well as general psychiatric symptoms). The shame measures were independently related to symptomatology but also to each other, while the guilt measures were unrelated to symptomatology and to each other. Further, event-related shame appeared as mediator between shame-proneness and post-victimization symptoms. A better understanding of the relationship between event-related emotions like shame and guilt and the propensity to react with shame or guiltmay have important clinical implications. Some suggestions as to how we move on from here will bepresented.