Survivors Of Sexual Abuse Research Articles

Between pleasure, guilt, and dissociation: How trauma unfolds in the sexuality of childhood sexual abuse survivors

BackgroundChildhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a significant risk factor for sexual difficulties in adulthood. ObjectiveIn the current study we aimed to expand the understanding of the association between CSA and sexual difficulties by examining the moderating role of traumatic sexuality in the association between CSA and sexual difficulties among a sample of CSA survivors. Participants and settingThe hypothesized moderation model was examined among a sample of 393 CSA survivors. MethodsSignificant interactions were probed using simple slopes tests using the interactions R package. ResultsThe results indicated main effects of traumatic sexuality on survivors' sexual difficulties: Greater severity of dissociation during sex was linked with greater sexual dysfunction and higher compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), and greater intrusiveness during sex and pleasing the other during sex were linked with higher CSBD. Experiencing higher sex-related guilt and/or shame and hypervigilance with regard to sex were associated with greater sexual dysfunction. As for the moderations, intrusiveness during sex and pleasing the other during sex moderated the association between CSA and sexual dysfunction. Intrusiveness during sex and sex-related guilt and/or shame moderated the association between CSA and CSBD. Intrusiveness during sex, pleasing the other during sex, and/or hypervigilance with regard to sex moderated the association between CSA and problematic pornography use. ConclusionThis study points to the potential contribution of traumatic sexuality symptoms to sexual difficulties among survivors of CSA and lends support to the idea of offering trauma-focused therapy when treating the sexual difficulties of CSA survivors.

Training Male Sexual Abuse Survivors as Peer Leaders to Deliver Motivational Interviewing and Trauma-Informed Affirmative Care

ABSTRACT This paper provides a description and evaluation of training male sexual abuse survivors to deliver Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Motivational Interviewing with Trauma-Informed Affirmative Care (MI-AC) online to sexual and gender minority (SGM) men with sexual assault histories and depression. After a search and selection process, 26 men with lived experience of sexual abuse received MI training that included the use of role-playing, video demonstrations, and practice followed by weekly supervision while co-leading groups. Peer leaders completed several measures pre and post training, including beliefs about MI and self-reported learning of MI and satisfaction with the training. A sample of MI and MI-AC audio sessions were independently rated for adherence and competence. Peer leaders’ beliefs about MI changed over time, while self-rated skill level stayed consistent. Peer leaders demonstrated good adherence to the MI and MI-AC conditions. Results suggest that men with lived experience of sexual trauma effectively learned to deliver MI and/or MI-AC to SGM male survivors in online groups. These interventions have the potential to expand the reach of limited services for this population as well as reduce their depression and assist in SGM men with histories of sexual abuse entering into formal mental health services.

I got played by my best friend in my own home: survivor testimonies of sibling sexual abuse

ABSTRACT Sibling sexual abuse may be the most prevalent type of intrafamilial sexual abuse, however, the dearth in empirical knowledge lends to its great obscurity and lack of awareness, prevention and intervention by clinicians, researchers and families alike. The current study fills this knowledge gap through an inductive analysis with written testimonies of 28 survivors of sibling sexual abuse. Findings indicate familial and external circumstances surrounding the abuse that contribute to its occurrence. Three main themes emerge from the analysis: (1) Survivor reflections on their perceptions at the time of the abuse, (2) Responses to disclosure of abuse both in childhood and in adulthood and, (3) Survivors’ reflections upon their perceptions and feelings concerning SSA. The analysis indicates the critical need to listen to the voices of survivors and put an end to the marginalisation and minimisation of their experiences especially when attempting to make waves in practice, policy and prevention. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT Survivors of sexual abuse, especially SSA, rarely disclose the abuse and even more rarely receive the proper interventions to allow them to cope with these experiences. The current study is thus an important step forward in terms of listening to the lived experiences of survivors and presenting to the scientific audience the invaluable information that they have bravely shared which will invariably further the research, awareness and policy.

Young Child Sexual Abuse Survivors Experience as Participative Action Researchers (PAR)

Young Child Sexual Abuse Survivors Experience as Participative Action Researchers (PAR)

Experiences of Sexual Assault and Financial Stability: Sense of Control as a Potential Mechanism.

This investigation utilized the Midlife in the United States Survey (N = 3,258) to assess the relationships between sexual assault, sense of control, and financial stability. Age of first sexual assault and sexual assault revictimization were also considered in analyses of sexual assault survivors' data. Results revealed consistent associations between experiences of sexual assault and revictimization with lower financial stability and suggest that sense of control may be an indirect mechanism linking these variables. Findings have policy relevance and practical implications for practitioners. Restoring sexual assault victims' internal loci of control may promote more positive financial outcomes.

I Can Protect His Future, but She Can’t Be Helped: Himpathy and Hysteria in Administrator Rationalizations of Institutional Betrayal

ABSTRACT It is well-established fact that sexual assault survivors who report the violence they endured are retraumatized by the reporting process, but there is limited research on how these institutional betrayals are enacted. The current study draws on ethnographic observation and interview data to explore how 24 administrators use gendered rationalization frames to justify betrayal in Title IX cases. Specifically, administrators invoke himpathy to define their primary role as protecting the futures of young men. To defend this view from critique, they condemn how survivors use Title IX by casting them as hysterical women who are either mistaken in labeling an experience as sexual assault or suffering from trauma too severe for a Title IX process to repair. Taken together, these frames portray institutional betrayal as moral, even as these ideologies reinforce gender inequality.

Military Sexual Assault, Post-Service Employment, and Transition Preparation among U.S. Military Veterans: New Directions for Research

ABSTRACT Unlike studies of military sexual trauma (MST) among active-duty service members, most studies of veterans with MST have been clinical in nature, focused on estimating population prevalence rates, improving clinical responses or treatments, or have associated MST with subsequent health-related risk behaviors such as alcohol or drug abuse. The present study seeks to broaden our understanding of the corollaries of military sexual assault by considering the relationship between being a survivor of military sexual assault and post-service employment and transition experiences. Using secondary data from a survey of the members of a national organization for post-9/11 veterans, this exploratory study examines bivariate and multivariate relationships between self-reported experiences of military sexual assault and specific post-transition outcomes commonly used as indicators of a successful career transition from military to civilian life including employment status, time from transition to employment, and veterans’ perceptions of being prepared for their transition out of the military. Analysis from this study suggests that military sexual assault is impactful in the domains of employment and transition readiness. This paper’s findings point to a need to consider a range of inter-related social determinants of health and well-being when providing post-service career support for veterans.

Pilot randomized clinical trial of an app-based early intervention to reduce PTSD and alcohol use following sexual assault.

Sexual assault is associated with high risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD often co-occurs with alcohol misuse. Most sexual assault survivors do not access early preventative interventions for such conditions. App-based interventions are a promising means to extend the reach of early interventions and thereby reduce risk of chronic PTSD and alcohol misuse. This study was a pilot randomized clinical trial of an app-based early intervention with phone coaching (THRIVE) for survivors of past-10-week sexual assault (NCT#: NCT03703258). Intended active components of the THRIVE app are daily cognitive restructuring, daily activity scheduling, and as-needed relationally focused exercises, supported by coaching calls. Forty-one adult female survivors of recent sexual assault with elevated posttraumatic stress and drinking were randomized to intervention or control (symptom-monitoring app with phone coaching). Participants in both conditions were encouraged to use their respective app for 21 days and completed self-report symptom assessments at baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. At 3-month follow-up, the between-group effect size favored intervention for posttraumatic stress (d = -0.70), intoxication frequency (d = -0.62), and drinking hours per week (d = -0.39). More participants evidenced reliable change in intervention versus control for posttraumatic stress (OR = 2.67) and alcohol problems (OR = 3.05) at 3 months. The general direction of effects indicates that THRIVE, coupled with coaching, reduces risk for PTSD and alcohol outcomes beyond coached monitoring. These findings suggest that apps like THRIVE may provide an option for early intervention for sexual assault survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Subjective Sleep Disturbances in Sexual Assault Survivors: Associations With Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity

Prior work implicates sleep disturbance in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the majority of this literature has focused on combat veteran men, and limited work has examined links between sleep disturbance and PTSD symptoms in sexual assault survivors. This is a notable gap in the literature, as sexual trauma is disproportionately likely to result in PTSD and is more common in women. We sought to examine the relations between subjective sleep disturbance, sexual assault severity, and PTSD symptoms in a sample of sexual assault survivors with PTSD (PTSD+), without PTSD (PTSD-), and healthy controls. The sample (N = 60) completed the Insomnia Severity Index and prospectively monitored their sleep for 1 week using the Consensus Sleep Diary. The sexual assault survivors also completed the Sexual Experiences Survey and PTSD Checklist-5. Results of group comparisons found that the PTSD+ group reported significantly higher insomnia symptoms, longer sleep onset latency, more nocturnal awakenings, and lower sleep quality compared to the healthy control group and higher insomnia symptoms compared to the PTSD- group. Results of regression analyses in the sexual assault survivors found that insomnia symptoms and number of nocturnal awakenings were significantly associated with higher PTSD symptoms, and sexual assault severity was significantly associated with higher insomnia symptoms, longer sleep onset latency, and lower sleep quality. These findings highlight specific features of sleep disturbance that are linked to trauma and PTSD symptom severity among sexual assault survivors.

Survivors' Experiences of Sexual Assault by Intimate Partners: A Qualitative Study of Survivors and their Informal Supports.

The current study's purpose was to examine sexual assault survivors' experiences where intimate partner violence was mentioned as part of their narratives. Survivors and their informal support providers (SP; e.g., family, friends, romantic partners) were interviewed separately about disclosure, social reactions, and help-seeking following assault. Twenty-nine survivors and 12 informal support persons they told about their assaults mentioned survivor experiences of IPV-related sexual assault (IPVS). Several themes emerged from the analysis of codes related to the traumatic event of IPV: 1) Severe physical violence in an intimate partner relationship; 2) use of violence for sexual gratification; 3) connecting trauma to other behavior, 4) unwanted duty and redefining abuse, and 5) state responses to IPVS. Implications are drawn for future research and practice on IPVS with survivors and their informal support networks.

“We were there all alone”: Sexual abuse within the peer group in boarding schools in Israel – Retrospective perceptions of adult survivors

BackgroundDespite the extensive research on child sexual abuse and the alarming extent of the phenomenon among peers, certain perspectives are still missing. ObjectiveThe current study aimed to explore the subjective experience of adult survivors of peer sexual abuse while in boarding school, which has rarely been explored. Participants and settingThe present study included 15 adults who were sexually abused by their peers while attending boarding school. MethodsThe data were based on semi-structured in-depth interviews focused on the abuse story, disclosure, and the meaning of the boarding school context to the participants. The interviews were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis approach. ResultsThe findings characterized the boarding school as lacking parental figures, lacking rule and regulation enforcement, and staff who were not able to deal effectively with sexual abuse cases. The relationships within the peer group in the boarding school were characterized by intense, although unspoken, intimacy and sexuality. As part of the group's socialization, breaking the rules was encouraged, including in the sexual realm. Furthermore, the boarding school was perceived as a space that maintained conservative patriarchal social structures that encouraged traditional gender perceptions. ConclusionsThe findings of the current study indicated the urgent need to advance both policy and practice in this area, for example, greater involvement of the boarding school staff in the lives of the adolescents and implementation of rules and regulations to create a safer climate for those who choose, or need, to live away from home.

“Knowing I’m Not Alone”: The Development of a Support Group for College Victims and Survivors of Sexual Assault

ABSTRACT Group therapy is an effective modality to treat various mental health concerns and is proven to have significant interpersonal benefits. Despite the high prevalence of sexual violence amongst college-aged women, there are limited contemporary models for providing a trauma-specific group for this population. This article describes an innovative eight-session group for victims and survivors of sexual violence. Offered in a university setting, this semi-structured group incorporates psychoeducation about trauma, self-compassion and mindfulness techniques, coping skill development, trauma processing, expressive and creative therapeutic outlets, and peer connections in a confidential, affirming environment. The theoretical grounding and evidence-based framework underpinning this group is described, along with a detailed account of the weekly group sessions. Quantitative and qualitative data from the pilot study are reported, with preliminary results suggesting this is an effective group therapy model for improving post-traumatic stress symptoms, well-being, resilience, and self-compassion. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Trauma of the Shared Environment: A Qualitative Analysis of the Experiences of Survivors of College Campus Sexual Assault.

Survivors of campus sexual assault are often tasked with healing while sharing an environment with their perpetrators. However, little is known about the effects of a shared environment on survivor well-being. A qualitative thematic analysis design was employed to address this gap. We conducted semi-structured interviews with nine female survivors who identified their perpetrators as fellow students at a large state university in the southeastern U.S. The five themes that emerged are situated within an ecological framework, which is also used to guide our recommendations for supporting survivors' well-being within higher education.

Can Purgatory Help? Reflections from Dramatic Theology in the Context of the Abuse Crisis

In the search for justice, many survivors of sexual abuse encounter the difficulty that their tormentors have already died. In such cases legal justice cannot work and a personal confrontation is impossible. Christian faith holds that there is a final reckoning. However, recent theology and pastoral practice have rightly emphasized God’s mercy and forgiveness so much that the idea of justice has seemingly been rejected, to such an extent that the idea of a last reckoning is lost, creating yet another barrier to justice for survivors. In my article I develop a model for the last judgment that closely relates it to the idea of purgatory. If the last judgment and purgatory are imagined in a certain way, this can help us to see that survivors of sexual abuse will indeed be heard there and justice will be done, while the hope for a universal salvation can still be sustained.

Abuse, Cover-Up, and the Need for a Reform of Church and Theology

This article examines the non/place of victims and survivors of sexual and spiritual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church against its claim to a systemic inability to err and fail. Rather than attending to the victims and survivors of abuse, church hierarchies often cared more for the actual abusers and the unblemished image of the church and its sexual ethics. In what way does the absolutist power structure in the church facilitate this lack of attention to the victims and survivors, and how would the overcoming of the clergy-laity divide allow the church to regain credibility and trust among the followers of Jesus Christ? The article invites a renewed reflection on the Christian praxis of love and its potential to encourage the church to move the victims and survivors of abuse to the centre of its attention.

Clergy Sexual Abuse as Moral Injury: Confronting a Wounded and Wounding Church

This essay interprets the ripple effects of harm caused by clergy sexual abuse and its concealment by Catholic Church officials through the lens of moral injury, an enduring spiritual and moral anguish experienced as betrayal, shame, confusion, futility, and distrust. First, the author articulates the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal impact of moral injury in five dimensions: self-image, moral perception and reasoning, agency, relationships, and institutional credibility. Second, moral injury is examined ecclesially in light of moral conscience, which signifies “to know together,” by centering the experience of survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Third, several strategies are proposed for healing the spiritual and moral wounds that remain in the church.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN TOURISM AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM: LESSONS FOR CHILD PROTECTION PROFESSIONALS

Almost everywhere around the globe children are subjected to maltreatment. Serious actions are required at all levels to end it with urgency. All children are entitled to full protection from all forms of abuse. This is reaffirmed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in which all nations are obligated to protect children from all forms of abuse and promote the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of sexual abuse survivors. The objective of the review was to examine the gaps in child abuse prevention legal systems in order to share knowledge to better protect the children.
 Thus, a systematic review of the literatures using data from different sources was actuated. Different search engines were used to search for these articles. Only peer-reviewed scholarly publications published after 2000 were selected except extracts perceived to be critical. The review demonstrates that the protection of children against abuse through the existing legal systems is constrained by inadequacy of legislations, poor enforcement mechanisms, poverty and corruption, lack of rehabilitation programmes, negative attitudes, ineffective judiciary system, lack of training, inadequate multidisciplinary collaboration, lack of child friendly courts, threatening defense lawyers, lengthy and intimidating court procedures, inconsistent age of consent, lack of mandatory reporting of abuse, non-recognition of institutional crime, wee statute of limitation, insufficient funding, discriminatory laws, lack of cooperation and support, lack of birth registration; and lack of national sex offenders register. To conclude if the safety of the children is to be ensured, the challenges highlighted in the legal system must be addressed with urgency.
 Key words: Child Abuse, Legislations, Child Friendly, Courts, System.

Victim-Centered Care Among College Women of Color: A Qualitative Study.

Women of color are disproportionally affected by intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault (SA), and those on college campuses may have additional risk factors. The purpose of this study was to explore how college-affiliated women of color assign meaning to their interaction with individuals, authorities, and organizations tasked to help survivors of SA and IPV. Semistructured focus group interviews ( N = 87) were transcribed and analyzed using Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory methodology. Three priority theoretical elements were identified: what hurts , namely, distrust, uncertain outcomes, and silencing of experiences; what helps , namely, support, autonomy, and safety; and desired outcomes , namely, academic progress, supportive social networks, and self-care. Participants were concerned about uncertain outcomes of their interaction with organizations and authorities that are set to help victims. Results can inform forensic nurses and other professionals about the care priorities and needs of college-affiliated women of color in the context of IPV and SA.

“It was wrapped in a kind of normalcy”: The lived experience and consequences in adulthood of survivors of female child sexual abuse

BackgroundSurvivors' surveys on the frequency of sexual offenses committed by women indicated a prevalence rate of 9.9 % to 11.6 %. Nevertheless, only a few studies have explored the long-term consequences of abuse on survivors. ObjectivesExamine the lived experiences and the long-term consequences of child sexual abuse committed by women. ParticipantsFifteen adult participants who experienced child sexual abuse conducted by female offenders participated in the study. MethodsThe Interpretive Phenomenological Approach was applied to semi-structured interviews. ResultsThree central themes emerged: types of abuse, characteristics of the perpetrator, and consequences of abuse. Most survivors experienced direct or indirect forms of sexual abuse committed by their mothers. In most cases, the offenders masked their abuse in caregiving, disciplinary or playful behavior. The survivors perceived their mothers as narcissistic, controlling, hostile, and having tremendous difficulties with separation. The survivors reported the need to engage in extensive negative long-lasting psychopathologies, which they attributed partly to having been invalidated and silenced by society. Many participants expressed fears of re-enacting the survivor or perpetrator role, which has led to difficulties in various relationships. They described an altered perception of their bodies as shameful and repulsive, manifesting in self-harm, eating disorders, and the elimination of signs of femininity. ConclusionThis complex form of sexual abuse hampers the internalization and the construction of positive feminine, masculine, and parental identities.

Recommendations to Improve the Nature and Extent of Relationships Among Organizations Within a Network to Enhance Supports for Transgender Survivors of Sexual Assault.

To enhance the provision of comprehensive supports to transgender (trans) survivors of sexual assault, a structurally marginalized group with complex care needs, we developed an intersectoral network of trans-positive health care and community organizations in Ontario, Canada. As a baseline evaluation of the network, we conducted a social network analysis to determine the extent and nature of collaboration, communication, and connection among members. Relational data (eg, activities of collaboration) were collected from June to July 2021, and analyzed using a validated survey tool, Program to Analyze, Record, and Track Networks to Enhance Relationships (PARTNER). We shared findings in a virtual consultation session with key stakeholders and facilitated discussion to generate action items. Consultation data were synthesized into 12 themes through conventional content analysis. An intersectoral network in Ontario, Canada. Of the 119 representatives of trans-positive health care and community organizations invited to participate in this study, 78 (65.5%) completed the survey. Proportion/count of organizations collaborating with other organizations. Network scores for value and trust. Almost all (97.5%) invited organizations were listed as collaborators, representing 378 unique relationships. The network achieved a value score of 70.4% and trust score of 83.4%. The most prominent themes were "Communication and knowledge exchange channels," "Clearer roles and contributions," "Indicators of success," and "Client voices at the centre." As key antecedents of network success, high value and trust indicate that network member organizations are well positioned to further foster knowledge sharing, define their roles and contributions, prioritize the integration of trans voices in all activities, and, ultimately, achieve common goals with clearly defined outcomes. There is great potential to optimize network functioning and advance the network's mission to improve services for trans survivors by mobilizing these findings into recommendations.