Survivors Of Sexual Victimization Research Articles

Disclosing Sexual Victimization Online and In-Person: An Examination of Bisexual+ and Heterosexual Survivors.

Bisexual+ (bisexual, pansexual, queer, attraction to more than one gender) people are at elevated risk for sexual victimization relative to their heterosexual counterparts. Disclosure of sexual victimization and social reactions received upon disclosure can play a major role in recovery following an assault. Using an online survey, the current study examined whether bisexual+ and heterosexual survivors of sexual victimization (N = 657) varied in disclosure of victimization, the type of disclosure (in-person vs. online via #MeToo), and receipt of various social reactions to disclosure in person and online. A chi-square test examined differences in disclosure and differences in types of disclosure (in-person only vs. MeToo across sexual identity). MANOVAS were used to examine whether in-person and online reactions varied across sexual identity. Bisexual+ survivors were more likely to disclose sexual victimization relative to heterosexual survivors. Among those who disclosed, bisexual+ survivors were more likely to disclose in person only whereas heterosexual survivors were more likely to disclose online via #MeToo. Whereas we did not find any significant differences for in-person reactions, we did find significant differences for online social reactions using #MeToo. Heterosexual survivors received higher turning against reactions (e.g., avoided talking to you or spending time with you) and more unsupportive acknowledgment relative to bisexual+ participants. Whereas bisexual+ participants received less turning against reactions and unsupportive acknowledgment during #MeToo/online disclosure, they were also less likely to disclose using #MeToo. Findings suggest that bisexual+ and heterosexual people vary in the way they disclose sexual victimization, and in how they are responded to when disclosing in person and online.

The Indirect Effects of Proximal Stressors Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Severity among Sexually Victimized Sexual Minority Women: A Cross-Sectional Path Analysis.

Sexual minority women (SMW) are at risk for sexual victimization and stressors specifically related to their minority identity (e.g., discrimination). However, SMW experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at rates beyond what may be explained by elevated risk for sexual victimization alone. This study aimed to examine the impact of stigma on PTSD symptoms among SMW survivors of sexual victimization. Results indicate that in relation to minority-specific distal stressors (i.e., heterosexist experiences), both minority-specific and general proximal stressors (i.e., internalized heterosexism, negative posttraumatic cognitions) indirectly affected PTSD symptom severity among this cross-sectional sample of sexually victimized SMW.

Gynecological Health Complaints Among College Women With Sexual Victimization Histories: Examination of Depression and Anxiety as Potential Mediators.

The study's purpose was to examine the relation between sexual victimization history and gynecological health complaints among college women. A further aim was to explore whether anxiety and depression are mediators of this relation, as well as to examine the size of these indirect relations among individuals with different types of victimization histories (childhood sexual abuse, adolescent/adult sexual assault, combined childhood sexual abuse/adolescent/adult sexual assault). A sample of 1,759 undergraduate cisgender women attending a large Southeastern U.S. university completed online measures of lifetime sexual victimization history, current anxiety and depression, and current gynecological health complaints (dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, vaginal discharge, pain during urination, and pelvic pain). Mediation analyses with bootstrapping were conducted to explore the relations among study variables. College women with a history of sexual victimization were significantly more likely to report experiencing the gynecological health complaints in the past month than women with no sexual victimization history (all ps<.05). There was a significant indirect path from sexual victimization to gynecological health complaints through both anxiety and depression for all three victimization types (βs=0.12-0.26). The indirect paths were stronger for women with combined childhood sexual abuse/adolescent/adult sexual assault histories as compared with the other two types of victimization history. Health care providers working with college women should implement a trauma-informed approach to addressing gynecological health complaints that recognizes that sexual victimization survivors are at an increased risk for these issues. Further, anxiety and depression represent possible mechanisms of risk for gynecological health complaints among survivors.

Sexual Victimization and Suicide Ideation: An Atemporal Indirect Effects Model

Introduction Suicide is a major public health concern among young adults. Moreover, college students are at elevated risk for sexual victimization, which is associated with elevated suicide risk. Nonetheless, not all college student survivors of sexual victimization think about suicide. Previous research has used the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide (IPTS) as a framework for understanding the association between interpersonal violence victimization and suicide ideation The current study aimed to replicate and extend the results of Poindexter et al. AQ1] by testing the serial indirect effects of IPTS constructs in the relationship between sexual victimization and suicide ideation among a sexually-victimized sample of college students. It was expected that depressive symptoms, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness, in that order, would indirectly affect the association between cumulative sexual victimization history and suicide ideation in the past month. Method Data were collected from 796 college students via online survey. After exclusion criteria, 236 college students who reported at least one lifetime experience of sexual victimization were included in analysis. Results Results indicated that the relationship between cumulative sexual victimization and past-month suicide ideation frequency was indirectly affected by depressive symptoms, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness, in serial. Discussion Results indicated that the indirect effects model proposed by Poindexter et al. was significant in that more frequent lifetime sexual victimization related to more frequent past-month suicide ideation, and this relationship was strengthened indirectly by depressive symptoms, TB, and PB, in that order. Results underscore the importance of screening survivors of sexual victimization for suicide ideation and associated risk factors, specifically depressive symptoms, TB, and PB.

How Will I Be Perceived: The Role of Trauma-Related Shame in the Relationship Between Psychological Distress and Expectations of Disclosure Among Survivors of Sexual Victimization.

Sexual assault is a serious physical and psychological concern worldwide. Various negative psychological outcomes are associated with survivor well-being, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive symptoms, and trauma-related shame. Opportunities for emotional expression and processing have been shown to be beneficial among survivors of trauma; however, survivors of sexual victimization may be reticent to disclose details of their traumatic experience, particularly to formal sources of support. Trauma-related shame (e.g., negative evaluations of self, feelings of worthlessness, and powerlessness) has been shown to negatively impact expectations of disclosure, as some survivors may fear being blamed or judged. Limited research exists on the impact of psychological distress on survivors' expectations of disclosure. The current study investigated whether psychological distress (i.e., depressive and PTSD symptoms) is associated with expectations of disclosure (positive vs. negative) through trauma-related shame among survivors of sexual victimization. Participants, recruited from a primarily Hispanic-serving institution, participated in the present study. Participants (N = 86) completed measures of PTSD and depression symptom severity, trauma-related shame, and expectations of disclosure. Results revealed that psychological distress severity was associated with negative expectations of disclosure through trauma-related shame (b = 0.682, p < .05, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.197, 1.367]), but not positive expectation (b = -0.068, p = .417, 95% CI [-0.523, 0.155]). Our findings have implications for prognosis and treatment for survivors of sexual victimization, particularly among LatinX populations.

Sexual Victimization Disclosure: A Cluster Analysis Approach to Understanding Victimization Experiences in Disclosers and Non-Disclosers.

Research has used cluster analysis to identify clusters, or groups, of sexual victimization survivors who share similar assault experiences. However, researchers have not investigated whether disclosure status is a key component of the survivors’ experience. The current study identified two clusters among 174 disclosing and non-disclosing sexual victimization survivors. Cluster One (n = 74) included an incapacitated assault by a lesser-known perpetrator and disclosure of the event. Cluster Two (n = 100) included a verbally instigated assault by a well-known perpetrator and nondisclosure of the event. Follow up independent t-tests revealed that women in Cluster One had significantly higher depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than women in Cluster Two. Results support prior research identifying clusters of victimization based on assault characteristics and suggest that disclosure status is a key variable in the recovery process. Specific implications for clinicians, policy makers, and the community are discussed.

Online Disclosure of Sexual Victimization and Social Reactions: What Do We Know?

Many survivors of sexual violence share their experiences with someone. As social media becomes an increasingly common platform for disclosing and responding to sexual victimization, it is vital to consider how existing research examining in-person disclosure of sexual victimization – and the social reactions of support providers – may or may not generalize to the experience of disclosing sexual victimization in online spaces. Following a public health approach, this review and commentary brings together emerging, mid-career, and established scholars in sexual assault disclosure and social reactions to disclosure with the goal of critically examining “what we know” and “what we don’t know” about sexual assault disclosure and social reactions to disclosure that occur in an online forum (i.e., blog post, Twitter, Facebook, or other social media site). Drawing upon “what we don’t know” about the ways in which sexual assault disclosure occurs in online contexts, we generate suggestions for research, as well as strategies for understanding how best to create safer and more supportive experiences for survivors of sexual victimization who choose to disclose their experiences online.

Why Do Women Talk About It? Reasons for Disclosure of Sexual Victimization and Associated Symptomology.

Many sexual victimization survivors disclose their experience; however, there is limited research investigating why women disclose this experience and how reasons relate to psychopathology. The current online study aims to further understand the experiences of 142 female survivors (aged 18-29 years) by identifying their reason for disclosure and investigating how reasons relate to self-reported depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology. Qualitative analyses identified two reasons: intentional and elicited disclosures. Hierarchical linear regressions revealed that elicited disclosures were associated with higher PTSD symptomology than intentional disclosures above and beyond relevant covariates, suggesting that disclosure reason is an important factor in the recovery process.

Trauma, social media, and #WhyIDidntReport: An analysis of twitter posts about reluctance to report sexual assault.

Recent social trends regarding sexual violence and gender have included elements of "hashtag activism," which involves using social media tools for cultural awareness and change. For example, the Twitter hashtag: #WhyIDidntReport was created for survivors of sexual victimization to share their barriers to reporting. In this project, 600 tweets attached to this hashtag were analyzed using a combination of grounded theory and content analysis methods. Results were organized into a conceptual map, with a central category (power), connected to three other ecological categories (culture, community systems, and relationships) and one category of survivor experiences. Each category has subcategories which illustrate certain contextual and internal barriers to reporting assault. The model shows how these barriers intersect and interact, and often further traumatize those who have been assaulted. The model offers implications for professionals working with those who have survived sexual trauma, as well as those studying the dynamics of abuse.

069 Hormonal Contraceptive Use and Sexual Functioning among Young Women Who Experienced Sexual Victimization

Women with sexual victimization histories are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which increases risk for sexual functioning issues. Hormonal contraceptives (HC) may exacerbate impairments from PTSD and sexual dysfunction through a variety of mechanisms, including cognitive factors (e.g., memory processes involving fear and threat) and biological factors (e.g., dysregulation of autonomic response to sexual cues). However, little is known about the role of HC use in determining which survivors of sexual victimization will develop sexual functioning problems.

#Me(n)Too? Online Social Support Toward Male and Female Survivors of Sexual Victimization.

Much has been written about the difficulty of sexual victimization survivors to disclose their experiences to others and about the crucial role social support play in their recovery process. However, the vast majority of the literature has focused on face-to-face interactions, while in recent years, more and more victims are turning to online self-disclosure, whether privately or as part of proactive network protests such as the #MeToo hashtag campaign. The few existing studies that examined online responses to disclosures of sexual victimization have focused on female survivors only and didn't examine whether men and women elicit different responses based on gender stereotypes. The current study addresses this lacuna through a quantitative content analysis of 2,635 responses to 734 self-disclosures of male and female survivors of sexual victimization published on Facebook and Twitter during the first 3 weeks of the #MeToo and #WhyIDidntReport protests in Israel (October 2017 and October 2018, respectively). The findings indicate that social networks, despite some of their affordances, such as lack of eye contact or physical gestures, are supportive environments for survivors of sexual victimization of both sexes. However, women who self-disclose online are more likely to receive emotional support and network support, whereas men are more likely to receive retributive support-a new support type that was found in the current study. The conclusion is that users' reactions to sexual victimization disclosures are mainly supportive but are also affected by gender stereotypes. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Rape Medical Advocates Experiences with Vicarious Trauma, Burnout and Self-Care

ABSTRACTWorking with survivors of sexual victimization can be emotionally difficult for rape medical advocates. Although advocates are crucial in terms of providing care for sexual assault survivors and play an integral role in the emergency room, it is unclear as to the impact of experiencing emotional and psychological trauma that working with survivors can have on them and if they have effective self-care techniques. The purpose of this study was to explore rape medical advocates experiences with vicarious trauma and burnout, their self-care techniques to mitigate secondary trauma, and the overall positive and negative impact it has on their well-being.

Calling Attention to the Importance of Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Victimization

ABSTRACTMost of the research focusing on sexual victimization on college campuses has focused on females as victims. This attention is warranted given that studies have consistently found that females are at more risk of experiencing victimization compared to males. However, a drawback of this emphasis is that laypersons may incorrectly believe that men cannot be victims too. This belief is directly challenged by various findings that indicate college men are also sexually assaulted. In order to draw attention to this under researched topic, we used data from a recent climate survey conducted at a mid-sized rural institution of higher education. The results of this study indicated that males, in addition to females, experienced various types of sexual victimization in this setting.

Attentional Bias for Sexual Threat Among Sexual Victimization Survivors

The current meta-analysis examined the effects of sexual victimization (SV) on attentional bias for sexual threat. This relationship was also examined among victims of SV with and without a current diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The broader aim was to elucidate potential mechanisms operating between SV and negative health outcomes. As hypothesized, the findings supported a positive relationship between SV and attentional bias toward sexual threat stimuli, and subanalyses indicated that PTSD symptomatology significantly contributed to this association.

Managing Privacy and the Decision to Disclose: Disclosures of Sexual Victimization

This study explores the communication used by survivors after they have experienced an incident of sexual victimization. Specifically, it examines sexual victimization survivors’ criteria for disclosure through the lens of communication privacy management theory. Participants completed an online questionnaire in which they described their first disclosure incident. Qualitative analysis of these incidents illustrated survivors’ reasons for disclosing, anxieties during disclosure and the power the recipient often has in shaping the outcome of the disclosure event. These findings may be used to aid future survivors and recipients of this high-risk disclosure.

An Examination of Disclosure, Mental Health Treatment use, and Posttraumatic Growth Among College Women Who Experienced Sexual Victimization

ABSTRACTFew investigations have sought to identify factors associated with posttraumatic growth among survivors of sexual victimization. The present study examined the relationship between posttraumatic growth, disclosure, and mental health treatment use following sexual assault. Undergraduate female psychology students (N = 85), who reported a prior history of sexual victimization, completed measures assessing trauma exposure, posttraumatic growth, disclosure, and mental health treatment use. Results revealed that degree of disclosure of the assault to support sources and mental health treatment use following sexual assault was related to increased posttraumatic growth. Findings have valuable implications for treatment interventions for survivors of sexual trauma.

Sexual victimization history, depression, and task physiology as predictors of sexual revictimization: results from a 6-month prospective pilot study.

The current study examined depression and physiological reactivity to a sexual threat task as longitudinal predictors of sexual revictimization in women with sexual victimization histories. The sample included 14 young adult women (M(age) = 19.15) who reported child sexual abuse. Heart rate and root mean square of the successive differences were measured at baseline and during the presentation of sexual victimization-related words during an Emotional Stroop task. Results indicated that women who reported a greater history of childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual victimization were at increased risk for sexual revictimization 6 months after initial data collection. Furthermore, even after accounting for their childhood and adult sexual victimization histories and depression symptoms, women who exhibited reduced, or blunted, physiological activity during the sexual victimization stimuli of the Stroop task were more likely to report sexual revictimization during the 6-month follow-up. The findings suggest that sexual victimization survivors may benefit from interventions that address physiological blunting and the recognition of sexual threat cues in their environment.

The Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs and Lifetime Experiences of Sexual Victimization Among College Men

The non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) has been linked with many negative outcomes in previous studies. Recent literature has begun to examine the role of NMUPD among sexual victimization survivors. The present study examined the associations between NMUPD, recreational drug use, and experiences of sexual victimization among college men. Undergraduate men (n = 253) elected to take an online survey examining drug use and lifetime sexual victimization experiences. A total of 17% of the sample reported instances of being sexually victimized in their lifetime across four domains (being coerced, threatened, physically forced, or taken advantage of while incapacitated). Results indicate that, across all domains of sexual victimization, non-medical sedative use was robustly associated with sexual victimization in a multivariate model controlling for recreational drug use and demographics. No other non-medically used drug class (anxiolytics, pain medications, and stimulants) was associated with experiences of sexual victimization in the multivariate model. Results expand past literature by illustrating specific drug classes used by survivors of sexual victimization. Implications for interventions for male sexual victimization survivors are discussed.

The Cumulative Impact of Sexual Revictimization on Emotion Regulation Difficulties

The present study examined associations between child sexual abuse (CSA), adult sexual victimization, and emotion regulation difficulties in a sample of 168 incarcerated women. Approximately 50% of the participants reported CSA, 54% reported adult sexual victimization, and 38% reported sexual revictimization (i.e., CSA and adult victimization). Revictimized women reported significantly greater difficulties with several facets of emotion regulation when compared to singly victimized and nonvictimized women. Interestingly, singly victimized women did not demonstrate greater emotion regulation deficits when compared to nonvictims. Findings suggest that the negative impact of victimization experiences on adult emotion regulation abilities may be cumulative. Furthermore, they highlight the potential importance of assessing and targeting emotion regulation difficulties among child abuse and adult sexual victimization survivors.

Sexual revictimization and adjustment in college men.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual assault (ASA) occur at alarming rates in the United States and are associated with a number of adult psychological adjustment problems. Moreover, having a history of CSA may increase risk for sexual victimization in adulthood (revictimization). A number of studies explore the issues of CSA, ASA, revictimization, and adjustment in women, but far fewer studies investigate these issues in men. This study explored the phenomenon of sexual revictimization and related adjustment difficulties in 1,002 male college students who completed the Life Experiences Questionnaire, an expanded version of the Sexual Experiences Survey, and the Symptom Checklist-90—Revised. Results indicated that male CSA survivors are more likely than nonvictims to experience ASA and that sexual victimization and revictimization are related to increased adult adjustment difficulties in the forms of posttraumatic stress, hostility, depression, and general distress. Research and clinical implications are discussed, such as the need to assess male psychotherapy clients for sexual victimization and revictimization histories and the need for research on the mechanisms resulting in psychological adjustment difficulties in male survivors of sexual victimization and revictimization.