Experienced Sexual Assault Research Articles

Emotion Regulation Within Context: Understanding Buffering Effects on Chronic Pain and PTSD Among Black Women Who've Experienced Sexual Assault and Racism.

Previous research has found that both racism and sexual assault are related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and chronic pain. Black women have unique relationships to these stressors situated within contexts of oppression, and little is known about factors that may exacerbate these associations among Black women. Among Black women experiencing both racism and sexual assault (n = 148), emotion clarity moderated the relation between PTSD and chronic pain, β = .0126, SE = 0.0059, p < .05. Our findings support the importance of considering the place that psychological constructs like emotion regulation and traumatic stressors hold in contexts of oppression.

(127) TRAUMA INFORMED CARE TO REDUCE ANTEPARTUM COMPLICATIONS IN SURVIVORS OF TRAUMA

Abstract Introduction Life trauma permeates through society and across cultures. It impacts the individual, community, and society. Trauma may include but is not limited to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), sexual assault and violence, domestic violence, and interpersonal violence (IPV). In the United States, 1 in 3 women experience physical IPV, 1 in 4 experience sexual assault, and 17% of adults have experienced 4 or more ACEs (CDC 2022, 2023). Experiencing trauma leads to a cascade of effects that infiltrate every aspect of life and causes higher levels of chronic stress. In those who are pregnant or giving birth, a history of trauma, particularly sexual assault, leads to adverse antepartum outcomes. Objective After this presentation, the learner will be able to: 1. Define trauma (ACEs, sexual assault, DV, IPV). 2. State the signs and symptoms of trauma. 3. Identify the antepartum complications associated with a history of trauma. 4. Explain the impact that a history of sexual assault has on the birth giver. 5. Define trauma informed care. 6. Identify the components of trauma informed care. 7. State the importance of using trauma informed care as a midwife and WHNP. Methods The methods used to address this topic include a literature review and podium style presentation of findings. Results Main findings include increased rates of miscarriage, preterm birth, post traumatic stress disorder, placental abruption, premature rupture of membranes, and low birth weight in pregnant survivors of past trauma. Additionally, the dynamic interplay between the Social Determinants of Health and violence experienced during pregnancy must be considered. Low household income, racism, lack of social support, as well as food and housing insecurity increased rates of intimate partner violence experienced during pregnancy. Trauma informed care has been shown to reduce psychological symptom severity and has been integrated into midwifery care to attempt to reduce these outcomes and prevent further traumatization of the client. Conclusions As pregnancy and childbirth are intimate and personal in nature, using a trauma informed model of care is crucial to identifying clients with trauma histories and caring for them in a manner that is cognizant of their lived experiences and potential antepartum outcomes. Future providers must receive adequate education and training regarding trauma informed care in an effort to prevent adverse outcomes and prevent re-traumatization of their clients. Disclosure No.

Exploring Experiences of Drink and Needle Spiking Incidents Among Global Drug Survey Respondents from 22 Countries

This study explored experiences of spiking following the re-opening of nightlife settings post COVID-19 lockdown. Global Drug Survey 2022, respondents were asked about experience, context, and consequences of drink/needle spiking. In a sample of 7697 respondents 2% reported experiencing spiking the last 12 months, and 20% over a year ago. Most occurred in clubs/bars (54.8%), but a quarter occurred in a private home. 84.9% of respondents suspected a drug was added to their drink; 4.2% thought they had been injected with a drug. Almost a fifth experienced sexual assault during the incident. Only 7.2% who experienced drink spiking reported it to police. Higher AUDIT scores, being a woman, recent illicit substance use and recent clubbing experience were also associated with recent spiking. Low rates of reporting means it is difficult to understand prevalence and causes. However, media reports of an epidemic of spiking appear to have been disproportionately emphasised.

Perceptions of safety and experiences of gender-based violence at UK music festivals

Crime and safety at UK music festivals is a subject of growing concern for festival management, police and festival-goers, bolstered by increasing media coverage of incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault. To date, however, there has been limited evidence regarding festival-goers’ experiences and perspectives concerning safety, particularly in relation to gender-based violence at music festivals. Using data from a mixed methods pilot study, this article presents the findings of a self-selecting survey of 450 festival-goers which asked respondents about their perceptions of safety and experiences of different crime and harms including gender-based violence at UK music festivals. The findings reveal that most respondents report feeling safe at festivals, but various personal, social and environmental factors may increase or reduce these feelings of safety, and these are gendered. Similarly, although experiences of acquisitive crime, hate crime and stalking were low and broadly similar for women and men, a third of women experienced sexual harassment and 8% experienced sexual assault – significantly higher than the reported levels among male respondents. We argue that festivals must work proactively with key stakeholders and agencies, as well as artists and patrons, to develop clear policies and initiatives to prevent sexual violence.

Perinatal Care for Individuals With a History of Sexual Trauma

Many women and individuals assigned female at birth experience sexual assault or abuse in their lives leading to sexual trauma. In this article, we review the effects of sexual trauma and resulting chronic stress on the body and during the perinatal period. Maternal, fetal, and neonatal health implications are discussed. Routine screening for sexual assault and violence can assist with early identification and intervention. A variety of modalities and methods for managing the effects of sexual trauma have been identified, including pharmacologic treatment, psychotherapy, complementary and alternative medicine, and shared decision-making. Further research regarding different treatments is essential to find additional tools to aid clinicians providing care to this vulnerable population. When nurses care for individuals with a history of sexual trauma, incorporating trauma-informed care can help prevent retraumatization and promote a healthy perinatal experience.

Nongenetic Factors Associated With Psychotic Experiences Among UK Biobank Participants

Although hypothesis-driven research has identified several factors associated with psychosis, this one-exposure-to-one-outcome approach fails to embrace the multiplicity of exposures. Systematic approaches, similar to agnostic genome-wide analyses, are needed to identify genuine signals. To systematically investigate nongenetic correlates of psychotic experiences through data-driven agnostic analyses and genetically informed approaches to evaluate associations. This cohort study analyzed data from the UK Biobank Mental Health Survey from January 1 to June 1, 2021. An exposome-wide association study was performed in 2 equal-sized split discovery and replication data sets. Variables associated with psychotic experiences in the exposome-wide analysis were tested in a multivariable model. For the variables associated with psychotic experiences in the final multivariable model, the single-nucleotide variant-based heritability and genetic overlap with psychotic experiences using linkage disequilibrium score regression were estimated, and mendelian randomization (MR) approaches were applied to test potential causality. The significant associations observed in 1-sample MR analyses were further tested in multiple sensitivity tests, including collider-correction MR, 2-sample MR, and multivariable MR analyses. After quality control based on a priori criteria, 247 environmental, lifestyle, behavioral, and economic variables. Psychotic experiences. The study included 155 247 participants (87 896 [57%] female; mean [SD] age, 55.94 [7.74] years). In the discovery data set, 162 variables (66%) were associated with psychotic experiences. Of these, 148 (91%) were replicated. The multivariable analysis identified 36 variables that were associated with psychotic experiences. Of these, 28 had significant genetic overlap with psychotic experiences. One-sample MR analyses revealed forward associations with 3 variables and reverse associations with 3. Forward associations with ever having experienced sexual assault and pleiotropy of risk-taking behavior and reverse associations without pleiotropy of experiencing a physically violent crime as well as cannabis use and the reverse association with pleiotropy of worrying too long after embarrassment were confirmed in sensitivity tests. Thus, associations with psychotic experiences were found with both well-studied and unexplored multiple correlated variables. For several variables, the direction of the association was reversed in the final multivariable and MR analyses. The findings of this study underscore the need for systematic approaches and triangulation of evidence to build a knowledge base from ever-growing observational data to guide population-level prevention strategies for psychosis.

Gender stereotypes, class, and race in attributions of blame for women's gender‐linked mistreatment

AbstractIn two survey experiments, three types of gender‐based mistreatment, social class and race of the target, and gender‐linked stereotypes of respectability (sexualization and irresponsibility) were assessed in relation to victim blame attribution. U.S. participants (Study 1: N = 416; Study 2: N = 300) read a vignette about a woman described as working‐ or middle‐class, as Black or white, and as having experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, or incivility in the workplace. Based on the ambiguity of the intent of the perpetrator, we anticipated that incivility would result in more victim blame; this was confirmed. Additionally, in both studies, perceived victim respectability mediated the relationship between class and blame. The working‐class woman was seen as less respectable compared to the middle‐class woman, and this was associated with greater blame attribution for mistreatment. Results confirm the importance of more attention to social class in research on perceptions of women exposed to mistreatment, as well as interventions to mitigate victim‐blaming.

Sexual Violence and Chemsex among Substance-Using Sexual and Gender Minorities in Texas

Introduction Chemsex is the use of methamphetamine or other substances to enhance sexual experiences, and is most often associated with sexual minority men. Within the chemsex literature, questions of sexual violence emerge due, in part, to ambiguity about what constitutes consent within sexualized environments with co-occurring substance use. Methods To understand the context in which sexual violence occurs, data from an online survey of sexual and gender minority Texans were analyzed using bivariate and logistic regression (N = 1273), and qualitative interviews with substance-using sexual minority men from a separate sample were thematically analyzed (N = 22). Results Among survey participants, 12.8% experienced a form of sexual violence (10.1% experienced intimate partner violence and 7.6% experienced sexual assault). When participants were categorized based on past year substance use and sex party attendance, 48.0% of participants who used drugs and attended sex parties (a proxy for chemsex) experienced sexual violence (41.6% experienced intimate partner violence and 41.0% experienced sexual assault). When variables statistically significant at the bivariate-level were entered into logistic regression models, participants in the chemsex category were 12.5 [95% CI: 6.9, 22.8] times more likely to experience sexual violence. Substance-using sexual minority men experiencing sexual violence describe situations in which consent is difficult to revoke and sexual exploitation is likely to occur. Discussion Studies which more deeply explore the relationship between sexual and relationship violence and chemsex among sexual and gender minorities are needed. Particularly, the notion of consent needs further conceptualization in the context of drug use and sex parties. Highlights Measures of recent substance use and sex party attendance were combined to create a proxy measure for chemsex, which is the use of substances to enhance sexual experiences. Substance-using sexual and gender minorities engaging in chemsex were at increased risk of sexual violence. In addition to engaging in chemsex, variables associated with an increased odds of sexual violence among sexual and gender minorities were younger age, having a non-monosexual sexual identity, and receiving a mental health diagnoses. Studies on sexual and gender minorities engaging in chemsex should be developed to further explore sexual exploitation.

Prevalence of Various Traumatic Events Including Sexual Trauma in a Clinical Sample of Patients With an Eating Disorder.

Objective: Eating disorder (ED) and trauma have often been associated, and there is evidence that early experiences of traumatic events are associated with subsequent ED. Research results point toward an increased prevalence of sexual trauma in individuals with ED, and it has been suggested that sexual trauma precedes and contributes to the development of ED. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of sexual trauma as well as other types of traumatic life events in a clinical sample of children, adolescents, and adults with ED.Method: Patients (N = 329), median age 16.9 [Interquartile Range (IQR):4.5], diagnosed with various EDs in a specialized ED unit were included.Results: The majority (67%) of patients with ED reported at least one traumatic life event at time of assessment such as bullying (32%), loss (24%), or accidents (11%). Nineteen per cent of the patients reported having been the victim of a sexual trauma or another sexual traumatic event distributed as follows in terms of severity: 13% had been the victim of a negative experience associated with sex; 57% reported having experienced sexual assault other than rape; and 30% had been the victim of severe forms of sexual assault. The median time between the sexual trauma and the ED diagnosis was 3.4 years (IQR: 6.6). The median time between the sexual trauma and the onset of ED symptoms was 0 years (IQR: 5). The study results imply that the sexual trauma could be experienced either prior to or after onset of ED symptoms.Conclusions: Sixty-seven per cent of the patients with an ED reported traumatic life events at time of assessment, whereby 19% reporting negative sexual experiences or sexual abuse. However, sexual trauma does not necessarily play a causal role in the development of EDs.

"I've Never Told Anyone": A Qualitative Analysis of Interviews With College Women Who Experienced Sexual Assault and Remained Silent.

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the decision made by some college women who are raped to tell no one. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 college women between the ages of 19-24 who had never shared their sexual assault with anyone prior to speaking to the researchers. This study provides a systematic investigation of the factors underlying women's decisions to remain silent. The knowledge and understanding gained from these in-depth interviews offer insight for individuals and institutions to support these students and for the development of future efforts encouraging women survivors to tell someone.

Interpersonal Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress in Autistic Adults.

Many autistic adults report interpersonal traumas (IPTs) such as physical or sexual assault, which are often associated with posttraumatic stress and dissociation. Factors such as gender might make autistic individuals particularly vulnerable to experiencing IPT and negative posttraumatic symptoms. In this study, 687 self-identified autistic adults completed an online survey on their traumatic experiences and mental health symptoms. Seventy-two percent of participants reported experiencing sexual assault, other unwanted or uncomfortable sexual experiences, or physical assault. Forty-four percent of participants met the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including 50% of those who had experienced IPT and 28% of those who had not (odds ratio = 2.50; 95% confidence interval 1.74-3.60). IPT was also significantly associated with higher levels of psychoform (p < 0.001) and somatoform (p < 0.001) dissociation. Autistic cisgender women and gender minorities experienced a significantly higher number of traumas (p = 0.004) and were significantly more likely than cisgender men to experience sexual IPT (p < 0.001) and meet the criteria for PTSD (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between autistic individuals with and without a professional autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. IPT is associated with potentially severe mental health outcomes for autistic adults. Autistic women and gender minorities may be particularly vulnerable to sexual IPT and adverse outcomes. Increased screening for a history of IPT and posttraumatic symptoms is recommended for all autistic adults regardless of ASD diagnosis status. Why was this study done?: Many autistic people experience interpersonal traumas (IPTs) such as sexual or physical assault. These can lead to mental health challenges such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or dissociation (a disconnection between individuals and aspects of their perceptions or sense of self). We wanted to better understand what might make autistic adults more likely to experience trauma and how it affects them.What was the purpose of this study?: The purpose was to understand what might make autistic people more at risk of experiencing IPT and PTSD. We also wanted to know if IPT is associated with a higher risk of PTSD or dissociation.What did the researchers do?: Six hundred eighty-seven autistic adults filled out an online survey about their traumatic experiences, PTSD symptoms, and dissociation symptoms. We analyzed their responses to see how often participants reported experiencing different types of trauma and whether they met the criteria for PTSD and clinical dissociation. We then compared trauma experiences and PTSD rates across genders and those with and without a professional autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and compared PTSD rates and dissociation rates across participants who had versus had not experienced IPT.What were the results of the study?: Seventy-two percent of autistic adults in this study reported having experienced sexual assault, another unwanted sexual experience, or physical assault. Almost half (44%) met the criteria for PTSD. Most participants (93%) also reported high levels of mind-based dissociation, and 32% reported high levels of body-based dissociation (dissociation that causes negative emotions to be experienced as physical problems such as headaches or trouble moving). Participants who had experienced IPT were almost twice as likely to meet the criteria for PTSD and scored higher on both measures of dissociation. Cisgender women and gender minorities were more likely to experience IPT and meet the criteria for PTSD than cisgender men. Participants with and without a professional ASD diagnosis did not differ.What do these findings add to what was already known?: Most previous research on trauma and PTSD for autistic people was done on children and did not look at IPT specifically or compare people based on their gender or ASD diagnosis. As far as we know, this is the first study on posttraumatic dissociation in autistic adults.What are potential weaknesses in the study?: The findings of this study may not apply to autistic adults as a whole. People who could have participated may not have been interested in the topic, may not have seen study advertisements and so been unaware of the study, or may not have had the time or energy to participate. Findings might have been different if different groups of autistic people participated more.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?: If professionals who help autistic people do not talk to them about trauma, traumatized autistic adults may not get the right support. This study could encourage professionals to screen more autistic people, especially women and gender minorities, for trauma.

Perception of Sexuality and Body Image among Adolescent Girls

Background: Adolescence is a phase during which major developments of sexuality take place. Development of sexuality is an important bio-psycho-social development, which takes an adult shape during this period. Objective: To study how adolescent girls perceive changes in their bodies during the growing period of adolescence and to study their sexual behaviour during this period. Methodology: The study was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among adolescent girls undergoing vocational training course at the rural health center. 100 participants enrolled in the institute for the course were included. A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared with informed assent. One to one interviews were conducted maintaining privacy, Data were statistically analysed using SPSS version 23. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 16.02+/-1.2 years. We found that a prior awareness of menses is significantly related to a good feeling after menarche. About a third of the Community Health Workers (CHWs) felt shy or weird about their breast changes during adolescence and 66% were unhappy about their heights. 66% of the adolescents were practising masturbation and 38% among them were open to a physical relationship. 60% of them were not aware of medical intervention and 28% admitted to having experienced sexual assault. Conclusion: Understanding adolescent development and the factors influencing it is of utmost importance as it will help the parents to guide their children in the crossroads of adolescence. Due to incomplete knowledge, accepting bodily changes during adolescence becomes difficult. We, as public health experts, need to commit to an educative practice of support for adolescents.

Associations Between Sexual Assault and Reproductive and Family Planning Behaviors and Outcomes in Female Veterans.

To examine the relationship between lifetime sexual assault (defined as someone having experienced sexual assault in their lifetime) and reproductive health care seeking, contraception usage, and family planning outcomes in female veterans. We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected between 2005 and 2008 from computer-assisted telephone interviews with 1,004 female veterans aged 20-52 years who were enrolled at two Midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care systems. Participants were asked about reproductive, mental, and general health histories, and about lifetime sexual assault. We assessed associations between reproductive histories and contraceptive use among participants who reported lifetime sexual assault, compared with those who had not experienced lifetime sexual assault, by using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Lastly, we examined reasons why these participants had not sought Pap test screening. More than half (62%) of participants reported experiencing lifetime sexual assault. Because there was an association between older age and history of lifetime sexual assault (P<.001), we stratified the analysis by age. Women with a history of lifetime sexual assault were more likely to have had unprotected intercourse for a year or more (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.31, 95% CI 1.35-3.96) and a teen pregnancy (aOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.07-4.12) than women who did not report lifetime sexual assault. When stratified by age, women aged 40-52 years with a history of lifetime sexual assault were more likely to report more than a year of unprotected sex, teen pregnancy, and not seeking prenatal care with their first pregnancy, than women aged 40-52 who did not report lifetime sexual assault. Women who experienced lifetime sexual assault were more likely to report not seeking Pap tests in the past owing to fear and anxiety when compared with women who had not experienced lifetime sexual assault. Female veterans who reported lifetime sexual assault had differences in family planning behaviors compared with women who did not report lifetime sexual assault. These findings have implications for clinicians and VA policymakers when determining family planning and reproductive care delivery needs for female veterans of reproductive age.

Sexual citizenship and lifetime sexual assault: exploring the risks for sexual minority women with a physical limitation

This exploratory study examines how the intersection of physical impairment, sexual minority status, and gender affects lifetime sexual assault. Persons with a physical disability, sexual minorities, and women all experience high rates of sexual assault. However, the intersection of these identities is rarely studied. The author draws on the concept of sexual citizenship to contextualize how vulnerability affects populations with multiple marginalized identities. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health Wave 4, analysis showed that both physical limitation and sexual minority status were positively correlated with higher risks of lifetime sexual assault in Binary Logistic Regression. Predicted probabilities derived from analysis indicated that sexual minority status had a larger effect than physical limitation on lifetime sexual assault, but sexual minority women with a physical limitation had the highest risk of having experienced sexual assault.

Willingness to Use HIV Self-Testing and Associated Factors Among Transgender Women in Malaysia.

Background: While global research on the implementation of HIV self-testing (HIVST) has increased exponentially, few studies have assessed information on HIVST uptake factors (i.e., willingness, preferences) in transgender women (TW) and none in the Malaysian context. We therefore sought to assess willingness to use HIVST among this understudied key population. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 361 HIV-negative Malaysian TW in 2017. Participants were recruited using flyers, announcements through social media, and direct referral from staff members of the community-based organizations serving the TW communities. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify correlates of willingness to use HIVST. Results: Nearly half of the participants (47.6%) reported that they would be willing to use HIVST. Multivariable analysis showed that willingness to use HIVST was positively associated with having experienced sexual assault in childhood (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=3.239, p<0.001), having ever used mobile phone or apps to find sex work clients (aOR=1.677, p=0.040), and having engaged in condomless sex in the past 6 months (aOR=1.886, p=0.018). In contrast, living in Kuala Lumpur (aOR=0.559, p=0.032), having higher number of sex work clients per day (aOR=0.927, p=0.004), and current depressive symptoms (aOR=0.576, p=0.026) were negatively associated with willingness to use HIVST. Conclusions: Findings in this study suggest that TW in our sample were moderately willing to use HIVST. Especially important here is the increased interest in HIVST among TW who are at higher risk for HIV infection. Overall, our findings underscore the need for additional research on how to most effectively implement HIVST for key populations, including TW, such that uptake and retention in regular HIV screening is sustained.

Sexual Assault and the Association With Health, Quality of Life, and Self-Efficacy in the General Norwegian Population.

The lifetime prevalence of sexual assault was examined in a representative sample of the general Norwegian adult population (n = 1,792), in addition to the association between sexual assault and health, quality of life, and general self-efficacy. Respondents completed questionnaires assessing these factors. Overall, 6.7% (n = 120) of the respondents (10.9% of women and 1.9% of men) reported an experience of sexual assault. Respondents in the sexual assault group reported significantly worse mental and physical health as well as poorer quality of life and lower self-efficacy, compared with those without sexual assault experience. The most prevalent mental problems in the sexual assault group were depression (61.7%), sleep problems (58.3%), eating disorders (26.7%), and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms at a clinical level (25.0%). The most prevalent physical problems were chronic pain (47.5%) and musculoskeletal disease (30.8%). The proportions of physical and mental health problems were not significantly different between male and female victims. Results indicated that having experienced sexual assault during one’s life appears to be associated with lifetime occurrence of multiple health problems for both genders and reduces a person’s perceived general self-efficacy and quality of life.

20.3 Legal Considerations for Youth Who Experience Sexual Assault

This presentation will describe the special considerations for investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases involving youth. All cases of sexual assault have challenges compared with other crimes, much of which are based on the need to rely so heavily on victim statements because other evidence is not always available.

The makings of feminist schools across the globe

Despite complaints about a “boy crisis” in schools, girls in many parts of the world continue to face unnecessary obstacles to getting an adequate education. Many experience sexual assault and harassment at school, lack bathroom facilities they need during their menstrual periods, and must contend with gender stereotyping that keeps them from expressing their true identities. Sally A. Nuamah suggests that feminist schools address these inequities and put all children on an equitable footing as they pursue an education.

If It Wasn't Rape, Was It Sexual Assault? Comparing Rape and Sexual Assault Acknowledgment in College Women Who Have Experienced Rape.

The present study investigated (a) comparisons in rates of rape and sexual assault acknowledgment and (b) a comprehensive multivariate multinomial logistic model predicting rape and sexual assault acknowledgment in a sample of 174 college women who had experienced rape. Significantly more women acknowledged having experienced sexual assault than rape. Greater perceived perpetrator force was associated with increased likelihood of rape and sexual assault acknowledgment. Increased age and greater perceived emotional impact were associated with increased odds of rape acknowledgment. Implications for policy, education, and practice within university settings are discussed.

Negative affectivity in females' identification of their nonconsensual sexual experiences and sexual dissatisfaction

Very little research has examined the adjustment differences between those who identify their nonconsensual sexual experiences (NSEs) as sexual assault and those who do not, despite both groups meeting the legal criteria for having experienced sexual assault. Identifying differences between NSE identifiers and non-identifiers may help to illuminate psychosexual factors in NSE construal, emotional reactivity, and resilience in sexual outcomes. This study examines the association of individuals' NSE self-identification and negative affectivity with women's sexual dissatisfaction in an undergraduate sample. Participants (N=126) completed measures of negative affectivity five months before completing measures of sexual satisfaction and NSE history. Results indicated that negative affectivity has a robust independent association with NSE identification and sexual concerns for women who report NSEs, corresponding to legal definitions of sexual assault. In addition, no differences were found between identifiers and non-identifiers on sexual dissatisfaction, suggesting NSE history may have more to do with sexual satisfaction in these women than the construal of the event.