Assault Characteristics Research Articles

Associations Between Gender and Sexuality Characteristics of Cisgender Bisexual Women and Risk of Sexual Assault

Objective Research consistently documents disproportionately high rates of sexual assault among bisexual women, one of the fastest growing sexual minority demographic groups in the United States. This study seeks to better understand how bisexual women’s position as both women and sexual minority people may heighten their risk for sexual assault. Method Using data from 165 bisexual women in the Chicago Health and Life Experience of Women (CHLEW) study, we examine associations between the gender and sexuality characteristics of self-identifying cisgender bisexual women and sexual assault. Results We found that the risk of experiencing sexual assault, including rape, is associated with past experiences of bi-stigma, earlier age of recognizing bisexual identity, gender discrimination, and a less masculine gender presentation. Conclusion Our findings suggest that bisexual women are targeted in specific overlapping sexist, bi-phobic and stereotypical ways that may leave them particularly vulnerable to sexual assault. This study highlights the need for more research that investigates how bisexual women’s high rates of sexual assault are shaped by oppressive systems and social forces related to their gender and sexuality.

Latent Profiles of Co-occurring Sexual Problems and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Young Women Exposed to Sexual Violence.

Sexual dysfunctions (SDs) have been noted to occur following exposure to sexual violence although how these conditions covary with other mental health conditions, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS), is relatively understudied. The current study examined patterns of co-occurring SDs and PTSS in a sample of 328 college-aged, female-identified survivors of adolescent/early adulthood sexual assault (ASA). Latent profile analysis was used to examine patterns of symptom endorsement of various types of SDs and PTSS at the symptom cluster level. Four profiles were identified: asymptomatic (41.2% of sample), sexually distressed + intrusions (24.7%), co-occurring (21%), and PTSS (13.1%). Profiles were compared to one another on various characteristics of sexual assault and social reactions from others following assault disclosure. Results indicated that those in the co-occurring symptom and PTSS profiles reported more severe ASA and more unsupportive social responses relative to the sexually distressed + intrusions and asymptomatic profiles. The asymptomatic profile was significantly less likely to have experienced rape relative to the other three profiles and was less likely to report instances where a close other treated them in a negative manner following assault disclosure. Results are discussed in light of mental health needs for young women who have experienced ASA, with implications discussed for future research and clinical services for university students.

Social Reactions to Disclosures of Multiple-Perpetrator Sexual Assault: Do Number of Offenders Matter?

Sexual assault (SA) victimization is a prevalent issue both in the U.S. and globally. Although SA victimization is usually perpetrated by a single-perpetrator, multiple-perpetrator sexual assaults (MPSAs) also occur. Unfortunately, there is less literature concerning MPSAs, including the well-being of survivors' post-assault. One factor that has been shown to be important in the well-being of SA survivors' post-assault are the social reactions survivors receive from others following disclosure. The current study sought to compare social reactions received by MPSA survivors to the social reactions received by single-perpetrator sexual assault (SPSA) survivors in a community sample of adult female SA survivors (N = 1,863). We examined "turning against" (TA) reactions, a type of negative social reaction in which the supporter expresses more overtly distressing reactions that focus blame on the victim. We also examined unsupportive acknowledgment reactions (UA) the second type of negative reaction in which survivors receive acknowledgment that the assault occurred but are not supported. Additionally, we examined differences in positive reactions that survivors received from their support systems. One-way Analysis of Variance showed statistically significant differences in social reactions to disclosure according to number of offenders in the SA, with MPSA survivors receiving more TA and UA negative reactions than SPSA survivors. There were no differences in positive reactions by number of offenders. Multiple regression analyses also revealed that several demographics, assault characteristics, and post-assault factors (total Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, coping, attributions of self-blame) were related to the social reactions received by MPSA survivors post-assault. Implications and recommendations for support providers are discussed.

Do Concerns About Police Reporting Vary by Assault Characteristics? Understanding the Nonreporting Decisions of Sexual Assault Victims Who Utilize Alternative Reporting Options.

Forensic nurses routinely provide services to sexual assault victims who are uncertain about reporting their assault to police. The purpose of this study was to determine whether assault characteristics are related to the concerns about police reporting expressed by sexual assault victims who have forensic evidence collected but do not report their assault to police at that time. We analyzed medical records of patients who received services at a hospital-based forensic nursing program between 2010 and 2021. Records were included if a sexual assault evidence kit was collected, the patient declined to report the assault to police, and the patient completed a nonreport sexual assault evidence kit supplement form that included a question asking why they chose not to report the assault ( N = 296). We qualitatively analyzed patients' reasons for not reporting the assault and then used two-variable case-ordered matrices and chi-square analyses to explore relationships between reasons for not reporting and assault characteristics. Identified reasons for not reporting included lacking information about the assault, fear of harm/retaliation, and self-blame/minimization. Physical force, drug/alcohol consumption, and victim-offender relationship were related to patients referencing lacking information and fearing harm/retaliation as reasons for not reporting, but not related to the frequency of patients referencing self-blame/minimization. Results indicate that assault characteristics are related to reasons for not reporting at the time of the medical forensic examination. Being aware of these relationships may help forensic nurses provide patient-centered services and anticipatory guidance.

Sexual assault characteristics and posttraumatic stress symptoms among collegiate women: The role of posttraumatic cognitions.

Although it is well-established that sexual assault is a risk factor for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and other negative mental health outcomes, research is needed to help identify which individuals are most likely to experience ongoing distress following sexual assault. Negative cognitions following trauma may be influenced by sexual assault characteristics and have been shown to be associated with PTSS. The present study examined whether sexual assault characteristics were associated with PTSS by way of posttraumatic cognitions in a sample of 475 female college students who had experienced a sexual assault since the age of 14 years. Participants completed an online survey that included questions about sexual assault characteristics (i.e., whether the perpetrator used force, whether they experienced a freeze response), posttraumatic cognitions, and PTSS. Path analysis revealed that survivors who indicated they froze during the assault reported higher levels of PTSS, total effect = .28, p < .001, direct effect = .19, p < .001; posttraumatic cognitions regarding others, indirect effect = .02, p = .047, and other-safety, indirect effect = .05, p = .003, partially accounted for this association. Only the direct effect of perpetrator use of force on PTSS was statistically significant, total effect = .23, p = .090, direct effect = .16, p = .009; none of the indirect effects were statistically significant, ps = .063-.669. The results support that assault characteristics are associated with postassault outcomes and are consistent with the cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Distinguishing Types of Sexual Assault Among Young People: A Latent Class Analysis Approach

Scientific evidence on the incident-specific characteristics of sexual assault during youth is limited. Using latent class analysis, this article contributes to this research agenda by (1) developing a typology of sexual assaults by both peers and adults and (2) examining how assault types are associated with adverse life outcomes. The analysis is based on 1,402 cases of sexual assault reported in two population-based surveys among 18–19-year-olds in Norway. Six latent classes of assault were identified: (1) peer sexual contact while intoxicated (33.3%), (2) peer sexual penetration while intoxicated (25.5%), (3) severe violent assault by peer (15.1%), (4) assault in romantic relationship (13.0%), (5) severe pressure by younger adult (7.4%) and (6) assault by older adult (5.7%). All assault types were related to adverse outcomes in the realms of mental and physical health, social relationships and substance use, with the most adverse outcomes in the class containing severe violent assaults.

Characteristics of Sexual Assault Among Men Receiving a Forensic Medical Examination

ABSTRACT Sexual assault is a form of violence disproportionately perpetrated against women by men; however, men also experience high rates of sexual victimization. While recent research exploring victimization of sexual assault among men does exist, little is known about situational characteristics and consequences surrounding men’s assault experiences. Therefore, the current study examines narratives of men’s sexual assault to further understand the unique experiences of men receiving a sexual assault medical forensic examination. To accomplish this, we conducted a retrospective medical chart review of sexual assault narratives from N = 45 men receiving a sexual assault medical forensic examination at a large academic medical institution in the southeastern United States. Three general constructs were identified within the records: a) Perpetrator use of coercive tactics, b) Memory loss, and c) Contextual factors. Nested within these constructs, five specific themes emerged, including: a1) Use of weapons and physical force; a2) Tactical administration of alcohol and drugs; b1) Difficulties remembering assault; c1) Consensual sexual activity turned non-consensual; c2) Incarceration. Findings from the present study common identified characteristics of sexual assaults among men receiving a sexual assault medical forensic examination, including coercive tactics used by perpetrators, consequences of sexual assault, and high-risk settings for male victimization.

DDoS Risk Assesment using Machine Learning Techniques

The result of exploiting holes in safeguarding Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the amount of cyber- attacks and data breaches has skyrocketed across various corporations, companies, and sectors. Because its capacity to extract and learn deep characteristics of known assaults and detect novel attacks without the need for manual feature engineering, machine learning is used in cyber-attack detection. Despite the use of improved Machine Learning (ML) techniques for intrusion detection, the assault remains a huge danger to the Internet. The primary target of this research is to identify and detect assaults on the network. The expansion of social networks is now increasing on a daily basis. However, detecting the assaults is a difficult task. By examining the information in the KDDCUP Dataset, this project will dynamically detect the attack. The method of feature scaling is employed to standardize a range of independent variables or data constituents. The feature reduction PCA technique is used to locate the directions of highest variance in high-dimensional data and project it onto a new subspace with the same or less dimensions than the original one. Finally, the ML classification technique is used to categorise the data. Based on the assaults and the typical event, the final report is created.. Key Words: DDOS, Machine learning, Cyber Attacks,PCA Algorithm.

Timing of Sexual Assault Disclosure: A Study of College Women.

The present study examined correlates of immediate (within 48 h) and delayed (after 48 h) sexual assault disclosure among a sample of 83 college women who experienced sexual victimization since age 14. The use of physical resistance and experiencing a "freeze response" was positively associated with delayed disclosure. Identifying the perpetrator as a friend/acquaintance, compared to a was a romantic partner, increased the likelihood of immediate disclosure. Other individual characteristics (i.e., assault characteristics, a history of childhood sexual abuse, attitudes towards seeking help, and sexual assertiveness) and microsystem-level characteristics (i.e., perceived social support) did not impact the timing of disclosure.

Classification of Crimes against Sexual Inviolability and Sexual Freedom of the Individual under a Note to Article 131 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

The paper considers certain aspects of the classification of sexual crimes, due to the note to Article 131 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on equating persons under 12 years of age with those in a helpless state. Using practical examples, the features of various objective characteristics of sexual assaults are identified, combined on the basis of the analyzed note under the action of one norm — Article 132 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. By virtue of the note under study, indecent acts of persons in relation to the specified age, including those committed without contact, constituted the jurisdiction of the norm on violent acts of a sexual nature. The external circumstances of the acts that currently constitute violent sexual assaults indicate their significant difference. According to the author of the paper, a law enforcement officer should be able to impose punishment for a crime based on the immediate characteristics of the committed act, and, taking into account the broad collective construction of Article 132 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, be able to impose a less severe punishment than exists today. Reducing the terms in the considered compositions will make it possible, firstly, to proportionately determine the punishment for committing contactless intellectual (contactless) depraved acts against persons under the age of 12, and, secondly, restore the hierarchy of severity of punishments for acts, based on the importance of the good protected by law. Measures are proposed to change the legal technique of constructing the norms of Chapter 18 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, aimed at independently fixing violent acts of a sexual nature against persons under the age of 12. The author substantiates the expediency of including in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation an independent norm on violent crimes of a sexual nature committed against a minor.

IMPACT OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN: A QUALITATIVE SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Women who had ever assaulted sexually encounter mental health sequelae and are in a greater risk of developing variety of diagnoses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and others. Mental health consequences closely related to characteristics of victims and assault, disclosures, help-seeking, and with the sociocultural factors in its broad meaning. Aim was to reveal different aspects in progress of spectrum of mental health disorders by thematic synthesis of qualitative literature on experiences of survivors and to reveal what are barriers to and facilitators of recovery.The whole process of identifying data encompass two processes. A mapping exercise and an in-depth review. All remaining data was reviewed in two steps: quality assessment and data extraction. Thematic synthesis is reached by investigating descriptive themes emerged before, and answering review questions. After all, all descriptive themes were framed into ecological model to ease explanations.After reviewing 3 databases and other reliable sources only 6 studies were revealed. All were included into further analysis. 11 subthemes and 2 themes were emerged, which were in causal relationships.This study has revealed that survivors of sexual violence pass through several branches of understanding the fact of rape, which include characteristics of assault itself, distancing, vulnerability, neglecting problem, reaction of family and society. After appreciation of all these factors comprehension of what happened come to their minds. Whereas it comes with whole set of consequences such as the range of mental health problems, social impairment, development of coping strategies, powerlessness, indecision to disclose and help-seeking.During analysis barriers and facilitators of recovery, such as different coping strategies, impact of disclosure to either formal or informal sources and influence of society in general were evaluated. This problem can be addressed on multiple levels. Recommendations are given.

Association between the victim’s menstrual cycle phase and genital injuries following sexual assault

Background: It is unknown what effect the menstrual cycle can have on the susceptibility to trauma following sexual assault. Objectives: To compare the incidence of genital injuries following sexual assault in women with relationship to the three phases of the menstrual cycle Methods: The design was a retrospective, cohort analysis set in a community-based nurse examiner program over a five-year study period. Sexual assault victims were between the ages of 13 - 40 years and agreed to a forensic examination. The menstrual cycle was divided into three phases: follicular, luteal and menses phase. The primary outcomes were the frequency and type of genital injuries documented in relation to the different phases of the menstrual cycle. Results: Case files of 1376 cases of sexual assault were reviewed; 682 (49.6%) met the inclusion criteria. A total of 220 victims (32.3%) were in the follicular phase, 361 (52.9%) were in the luteal phase and 101 (14.8%) were in the menses phase. The three groups were comparable in terms of demographics, assault characteristics, and overall frequency of non-genital injuries. Assault victims in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle had significantly more documented genital injuries (72.3%; 95% CI 66.4 - 78.2) compared to the luteal phase (64.0%; 95% CI 59.0 - 68.9) and the menses phase (58.4%; 95% CI 48.8 - 68.0). Conclusion: Forensic examiners documented more genital injuries in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Sex hormones may have confounding effects through influences on vaginal epithelial and mucosal integrity.

Predictors of college women's disclosure of sexual assault prior to and during college.

Talking to others about experiences of sexual assault can facilitate recovery. The present study explored associations between assault characteristics, attitudes, coping strategies, social support, and the college women's disclosure of adolescent sexual victimization (N = 134), as well as sexual victimization over a 7-month interim during college (N = 67). A sample of first-year college women completed pencil and paper assessments of sexual victimization, assault characteristics, tendency to disclose, self-concealment, attributions of blame, likelihood to report sexual victimization, social support., and coping strategies. A series of bivariate and multivariate analyses examined predictors of sexual assault disclosure. Whereas acknowledgment of the sexual assault as victimization predicted disclosure of adolescent sexual assault, less acquaintance with the perpetrator and strong social attachments predicted disclosure of sexual assault occurring during women's first year of college. Data suggest that the factors that influence disclosure of sexual assault may vary across periods of adolescent and young adult development.

Analysis of Sexually Assault Patients Presenting at a Secondary Hospital, South Africa

Sexual assault and rape remain a huge problem in South Africa. However, only a few studies have investigated the association of demographic features and characteristics of sexual assault on the victims. The prevalence of rape in women globally is 7.2%, and in Sub-Saharan Africa 3 (21%). The objective was to determine the sexual assault characteristics and the relationship between the sexual assault characteristics and the socio-demographics of patients who presented for counselling. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was undertaken by reviewing 501 patient files who presented to a secondary-level hospital. A data capture sheet was used to collect information. The analysis included descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. The mean age was 21.5 ± 12.3 years. The women that presented to the hospital were black (92.4%), single (95.4%), unemployed (83.8%), and had a school education (27.6%). Only 4% of the participants were males. Fifty-eight percent of the participants reported that sexual assault had taken place between a Friday and a Sunday, between 18.00 to 05.59 hours. Women older than 20 years were three times more susceptible to sexual assault at night (p = 0.00). Young women were sexually assaulted more frequently at the perpetrator’s place (p = 0.01), and at party venues or in cars (p = 0.01). Health workers play a big role through preventive, educative, and curative measures. Health talks in educational institutes and public areas should be enforced. Safety and security officials should consider the identified risk factors for sexual assault and targeted interventions. Keywords: Crisis centre, Level two hospital, Sexual assault, Secondary hospital.

Exploring Correlates of Social Reactions to Disclosure Among Latina Sexual Assault Survivors.

Social reactions to sexual assault (SA) disclosure are well-documented in the literature, but less is known about disclosure and reactions received by Latina survivors. The current study analyzed correlates of positive and negative social reactions to sexual assault disclosure in a community sample of Latina survivors (n = 239). Compared to White survivors, Latina survivors were more likely to report turning against and acknowledgement without support reactions. Among Latina survivors, contrary to hypotheses, both "stereotypical" (e.g. more violent assaults) and "non-stereotypical" (e.g. pre-assault substance use) assault characteristics were associated with acknowledgement without support negative social reactions. Furthermore, total number of sources Latina survivors disclosed to were associated with turning against social reactions. Implications for future research on disclosure/social reactions and Latina survivors are discussed.

Peritraumatic assault characteristics predict worsened obsessive-compulsive contamination symptoms in survivors of sexual trauma

Extant research suggests there may be a relationship between sexual trauma and obsessive-compulsive (OC) contamination symptoms. Peritraumatic assault characteristics, such as physical force and peritraumatic fear, are related to more severe posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), however assault characteristics may also predict OC symptoms. Limited research suggests that assault type and peritraumatic emotions may relate to increased OC contamination symptoms, yet little is known about how victim and perpetrator demographics and other peritraumatic assault characteristics may predict OC contamination over and above PTSS. To address this gap, participants included 164 undergraduate sexual assault survivors (74.4% female, 16.5% LGBTQ, 35% non-white) who completed a cross-sectional study involving self-report measures of OC contamination symptoms, PTSS, and peritraumatic assault characteristics. Correlations were run to determine independent variables in the ordinary least squares regression predicting OC contamination symptoms. Controlling for PTSS, greater contamination severity was predicted by nonwhite victim race, greater peritraumatic closeness to perpetrator, and injury severity. Assault severity, perpetrator force, and peritraumatic fear were not significant predictors of contamination symptoms. Findings support betrayal trauma theory and highlight peritraumatic characteristics that are important to consider as potential risk factors related to the development or exacerbation of contamination symptoms.

Characteristics of sexual assault among young people aged under 18 years of age in Hertfordshire.

Sexual Health Hertfordshire provides integrated services for young people (YP) aged under 18 years at three sites. From January 2019 to June 2020, we saw 3483 YP, 60 of whom attended as a result of a sexual assault. Half were under 16years, 87% female and 81% of white ethnic origin. Of this group, for 50%, this was their first sexual experience, increasing to 70% in the under-16s. Forty-three (72%) of the victims knew 46 of their assailants, and 75% of the assaults took place in a familiar place. Eighty-five percent of victims had identifiable vulnerability factors. The rate of sexually transmitted infection (STI) was 7%. Themes identified included facilitation of the assault by others, blurring of boundaries between consent and coercion, school refusal and reports of a rape culture at some schools.

The nature and extent of sexual assault in the sky: Shining a light on a ‘black box’

Strikingly, federal data sources tracking the nature and extent of sexual assaults that occur aboard airlines are incomplete and typically not released to the public. In order to better understand this relatively hidden social phenomenon, we conducted a content analysis of media reports published over approximately a 20-year period (2000–2020). Within these media reports, we analyzed the incident characteristics of in-flight sexual assaults, reporting behaviors of victims, airline responses to victimization, and criminal justice processes such as adjudication. Findings reveal certain patterns in the coverage concerning victim and perpetrator characteristics, offense characteristics, flight information, and post-offense outcomes. In synthesizing study results, we apply tenets of routine activities theory (RAT) and the #MeToo perspective. We outline implications for future study and policy.

Symptoms and Physical Exam Findings in Sexual Assault-related Non-fatal Strangulation.

ObjectiveOur goal was to investigate the frequency of specific signs and symptoms following sexual assault-related non-fatal strangulation (NFS) and to explore the interaction between assault characteristics and physical exam findings.MethodsThis retrospective observational study included all adults (>18 years) reporting strangulation during sexual assault who presented for a forensic sexual assault exam at one of six urban community hospitals contracted with a single forensic nurse agency. Demographic information, narrative elements, and physical exam findings were abstracted from standardized sexual assault reporting forms. We analyzed data with descriptive statistics and compared specific variables using chi-square testing.ResultsOf the 580 subjects 99% were female, with a median age of 27 (interquartile range 22–35 years). The most common injury location was the neck (57.2%), followed by the mouth (29.1%). We found that 19.1% of the victims had no injuries evident on physical exam and 29.8% reported a loss of consciousness. Eye/eyelid and neck findings did not significantly differ between subjects who reported blows to the head in addition to strangulation and those who did not. The time that elapsed between assault and exam did not significantly correlate with the presence of most head and torso physical exam findings, except for nose injury (P = 0.02).ConclusionSlightly more than half of the victims who reported strangulation during sexual assault had visible neck injuries. Other non-anogenital findings were present even less frequently, with a substantial portion of victims having no injuries documented on physical exam. The perpetrators’ use of blows to the head may account for many of the non-anogenital injuries observed, but not for the neck and eye/eyelid injuries, which may be more specific to non-fatal strangulation. More research is needed to definitively establish strangulation as the causal mechanism for these findings, and to determine whether any long-term neurologic or vascular sequelae resulted from the observed injuries.

Fragmentation of the self: Characteristics of sexual assault and implications in self-drawing

The current study explored the extent to which sexually assaulted survivors' self-drawings can serve as an efficient tool to assess their mental states and psychopathology as characterized in the DAP-SPED (Naglieri et al., 1991, 1992). The sample was composed of 83 SA Israeli adult survivors. Hypothesis 1 (H1) predicted frequent distortions and omission of body parts, a disconnection between body parts, and a poor-quality line. Hypothesis 2 (H2) predicted a positive correlation between the number of indicators in the women's self-drawings and their levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms. Hypothesis 3 (H3) predicted a negative association between the number of indicators and women's levels of post-traumatic growth. Analysis of the drawings confirmed H1. The drawings lacked integration, tended to have a shadow around the body contour and/or were off-center. The figures were missing the torso, hands or feet with emphasized eyes or necks and chin. H2 and H3 were partially confirmed in that women whose drawings were characterized by omissions, cut-offs, and detached body parts scored higher on post-traumatic stress symptoms and evidenced a lower level of post-traumatic growth. Phenomenologically, the drawings were categorized into six groups (adapted, dramatic, strange, childish, unease, loneliness, and sad). Women in the dramatic drawings group had higher post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth. Women in the unease drawings group had the most elevated post-traumatic stress symptoms. Since SA survivors often turn to therapy without revealing the assault, draw oneself can provide the clinician with important insights into the physical and emotional aspects of the client.