The Effects of African American Women's Sexual Revictimization:

Abstract

This paper presents a study of African American women's sexual revictimization experiences in the context of historical and sociocultural factors. African American and White American women have been socialized differently about the history of race in America and stereotypes about who meets the societal-criteria's for rape victims today. In order to better understand the cumulative impact of African American women's sexual revictimization, and to develop strategies for prevention, this study examines different aspects of sexual revictimization in the population. A community sample of 126 African American women were interviewed about their consensual and nonconsensual sexual histories over the life course. The results identified the influence of a variety of types of sexual abuse experiences prior to and since age 18 that were associated with aspects of their sexual behaviors and contraceptive use. Strategies for the prevention of sexual assault on a societal, community and individual level are described. These strategies can hopefully begin to reduce the cycle of sexual revictimization among African American women.