Consequences Of Sexual Victimization Research Articles

Sexual Victimization Among Sexual and Gender Minoritized Groups: Recent Research and Future Directions.

Sexual victimization is a significant public health concern. Compared to heterosexual and cisgender peers, sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) individuals are at elevated risk for sexual victimization. Prominent theories suggest that this risk is due in part to the stigma SGM individuals face when navigating heteronormative cultures. The goal of this article is to review the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of sexual victimization in SGM individuals. Studies continue to show that SGM individuals-bisexual and/or gender minoritized in particular-are at higher risk for sexual victimization. Little work has focused on risk factors, though recent research continues to highlight post-victimization disparities among SGM individuals. Emerging studies also point to theoretically informed factors that may influence victimization risk and recovery, including sexual and gender-related stigma. To inform prevention and intervention efforts, future research would benefit from streamlining assessment, methodology, and dissemination practices.

Do the Mental Health Consequences of Sexual Victimization Differ Between Males and Females? A General Strain Theory Approach

Sexual assault is a traumatizing event linked to numerous mental health consequences. Although extant research has thoroughly examined the collateral consequences experienced by females, limited literature exists regarding how sexual violence comparatively affects males and females. Using data from the National Violence Against Women Survey (1995–1996) and a strain theoretical framework, the current study addresses this research gap to understand the effects of sexual assault and sex on depression. Results indicate that victims of sexual assault have higher depression scores than persons who have not been sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Moreover, we found no sex effect for sexual assault on depression. The methodology used eliminated a bias typically associated with regression analyses, caused from statistical inference after improper model selection. Policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Revisión sistemática de las consecuencias neurobiológicas del abuso sexual infantil

Objective The results of several studies suggest that there is a critical timeframe during development in which experiences of maltreatment and sexual abuse may lead to permanent or long-lasting neurobiological changes that particularly affect the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis response. The aim of the present study was to provide an updated review on the main neurobiological consequences of child sexual abuse. Methods We selected articles published between January 1999 and January 2010 in English or Spanish that focused on the neurobiological consequences of child sexual abuse available through Medline, Scopus and Web of Science. We also examined the references in published articles on the consequences of sexual victimization in childhood. Results In this review we included 34 studies on neurobiological consequences, indicating different kinds of effects, namely: neuroendocrine, structural, functional and neuropsychological consequences, which affect a large number of victims. Conclusions The existing body of work on the neurobiological consequences of maltreatment shows the need to consider maltreatment and child sexual abuse as health problems that affect different areas of victims’ lives, which would in turn favor the development of intervention and treatment programs that take these multiple effects into account.