In this chapter, I reflect on the methodological and ethical complexities of conducting sensitive research on sexual violence. I draw on my doctoral fieldwork in Goa, India, which explored social representations of rape and victims’/survivors’ everyday experiences of trauma and help-seeking. I examine how disciplinary hierarchies and dominant social constructions shape institutional permissions, influencing what is deemed legitimate research and who is authorized to conduct it. Situated within debates on sensitive, feminist, and trauma-informed methods, the chapter emphasizes the importance of reflexivity in navigating ethically significant moments and methodological challenges that often emerge unpredictably in the field. Conducting sensitive research in a close-knit context like Goa required heightened considerations to positionality, power dynamics, consent, and confidentiality. My own identity (as a woman from a particular sociocultural background with prior experiences in the legal system) led to emotionally demanding moments; often blurring the boundaries between the personal and professional, shaping field interactions. The chapter argues that ethical research in sensitive contexts demands more than formal compliance; it calls for a dynamic, situated approach grounded in care, relational responsibility, and respect for participant agency.