Forms of Intimate Partner Rape Experienced by Latinas With and Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects a large proportion of women in the United States and is a serious public health concern. Rates of IPV are even higher for Latinas in the United States. Approximately, 10% of women experience intimate partner rape in their lifetime, and IPV and intimate partner rape have been strongly linked to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, little research has been done to distinguish different forms of intimate partner rape and their effects. This study examined intimate partner rape for 94 Spanish-speaking Latinas with and without a diagnosis of PTSD. Two forms of rape were assessed, physically forced rape and psychologically coerced rape, and 39% of the women were diagnosed with PTSD. A logistic regression (N = 62) was used to assess the relationship between PTSD and forms of rape. Results indicated that Latinas with PTSD reported more physically forced rape than Latinas without a diagnosis of PTSD. No significant difference in PTSD diagnosis was found for psychologically coerced rape. Future research should focus on investigating factors that potentially mediate the relationship between physically forced rape and PTSD.