Coping with the Experience of Rape

Abstract

The coping strategies that a victim of a rape engages in can have a strong impact on the development and persistence of psychological symptoms. Research provides evidence that victims who rely heavily on avoidance strategies, such as suppression, are less likely to recover successfully than those who rely less heavily on these strategies. The present study utilized structural path analysis to identify predictors of avoidance coping following rape and examined factors in the assault itself (e.g., force, alcohol use), sequelae of the assault (e.g., self‐blame, loss of self‐worth), and social support as potential direct and indirect predictors of avoidance coping. From a sample of 1,253 university women, the responses of 216 women who endorsed an experience of rape were examined. Results suggested that sequelae of the assault such as feelings of self‐blame and negative reactions received from others are potentially important predictors of avoidance coping. Implications of the results for future rape recovery research are discussed.

Understanding and Using Informants’ Reporting Discrepancies of Youth Victimization: A Conceptual Model and Recommendations for Research

“…Some literature suggests that victimization by a close other may be more damaging than victimization by stranger (Lynch 2003), although this may not always be the case. Specific types of victimization such as sexual assault or rape may warrant special attention to understand how a victim's relationship with the perpetrator affects subsequent coping processes and adjustment (Littleton and Radecki Breitkopf 2006). Where the perpetrator is known to the caregiver, youths may feel inhibited in disclosing victimization to caregivers, although little empirical work has investigated this supposition.…”

Assessing the psychometric properties of the world assumptions scale

“…Items tapping each of the hypothesized domains of world assumptions loaded on separate factors, except for the benevolence of the impersonal world and benevolence of people items, which loaded on the same factor. Three additional EFAs have been conducted (Harris & Valentiner, 2002;Littleton & Breitkopf, 2006;Rini et al, 2004), and none reproduced this 7-factor structure or the 8-factor structure originally proposed. However, the best way to test the factor structure is to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), testing the originally proposed factor structure with indices of fit (Floyd & Widaman, 1995).…”

Sexual Victimization History and Perceived Similarity to a Sexual Assault Victim: A Path Model of Perceiver Variables Predicting Victim Culpability Attributions

“…Actual and anticipated social reactions to victims appear to play a particularly important role in recovery from sexual assault (Ahrens 2006;Borja et al 2006;Campbell et al 2001;Davis et al 1991;Gibson and Leitenberg 2001;Littleton and Radecki Breitkopf 2006;Mackey et al 1992;Miller et al 2011;Ullman 1996aUllman , b, 1999Ullman et al 2007). Unfortunately, victims often are recipients of negative social responses and stigmas, including delegitimization of their victimizations and, in particular, blame and responsibility (i.e., culpability) attributions (Brown and Testa 2008;Dunn et al 1999;Gerdes et al 1988;Miller et al 2011;Schneider et al 2009;Ullman 1996aUllman , 1999.…”

“…Some research has suggested that victims of acquaintance sexual assault may be particularly vulnerable to being blamed or held responsible for their victimizations (Bell et al 1994;Bridges and McGrail 1989;L'Armand and Pepitone 1982;Miller et al 2010b;Whatley 1996). Importantly, actual and anticipated negative social reactions predict greater distress, poorer adjustment, and sexual revictimization among sexual assault victims (Borja et al 2006;Campbell et al 2001;Davis et al 1991;Littleton and Radecki Breitkopf 2006;Mackey et al 1992;Miller et al 2011;Ullman 1996aUllman , b, 1999Ullman et al 2007). Overall, extant research has shown that sexual assault victims commonly experience negative psychological sequelae, and these are amplified by receipt of postassault negative reactions including culpability attributions.…”