Peer-led groups for survivors of sexual abuse and assault: a systematic review

Konya, Judit; Perôt, Concetta; Pitt, Katherine; Johnson, Emma; Gregory, Alison; Brown, Emily L.; Feder, Gene; Campbell, John L.

doi:10.1080/09638237.2020.1770206

Cited by 19 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 40 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…While there is little research about peer services for victim-survivors of sexual violence and abuse ( Konya et al, 2020 ), much related research is underway within the mental health field. A recent systematic review, for example, describes the plethora of current research, and indicates disparities between different forms of peer support in terms of outcome, and variations in effectiveness dependent on the particular outcomes measured ( White et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a recent systematic review, focusing on peer group support for victim-survivors of sexual violence and abuse, we reported that group participants experienced several benefits from peer support. These included: experiencing empathic witnessing resulting in feeling genuinely understood; finding permission to acknowledge and accept the reality of experiences; increased social connectedness; impetus towards healing from witnessing others’ progress; and opportunities to discover resources and coping strategies ( Konya et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Perceptions of Peer Support for Victim-Survivors of Sexual Violence and Abuse: An Exploratory Study With Key Stakeholders

Gregory

Johnson

Feder

et al. 2021

J Interpers Violence

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Experiences of sexual violence, childhood sexual abuse, and sexual assault are common across all societies. These experiences damage physical and mental health, coping ability, and relationships with others. Given the breadth and magnitude of impacts, it is imperative that there are effective, accessible services to support victim-survivors, ease suffering, and empower people to cope, recover and thrive. Service provision for this population in the United Kingdom is complex and has been hit substantially by austerity. Since positive social support can buffer against negative impacts, peer support may be an effective approach. The aim of this exploratory study was to capture the views and perspectives of professional stakeholders concerning service provision for victim-survivors, particularly perceptions of peer support. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted in the UK during 2018 with six professional stakeholders, highly experienced in the field of service provision for victim-survivors of sexual violence and abuse. An abductive approach to analysis was used, applying principles from thematic analysis. Our sample comprised four females and two males, and their roles included psychiatrist, general practitioner, service improvement facilitator, and senior positions within victim-survivor organizations. Interviews highlighted models of peer support for this population, good practice and safety considerations, and a lack of uniformity regarding quality and governance standards across the sector. Findings indicated that current funding models impact negatively on victim-survivor services, and that provision is fragmented and insufficient across statutory and not-for-profit sectors. The influence of the medical model upon service provision was evident, which resulted in apprehension around support delivered in less-usual forms—including peer support. Further research is needed to explore the potential of peer support for victim-survivors of sexual violence and abuse.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of Peer Support for Victim-Survivors of Sexual Violence and Abuse: An Exploratory Study With Key Stakeholders

Gregory

Johnson

Feder

et al. 2021

J Interpers Violence

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Peer support is about giving and receiving help, which helps people understand one another because they share a similar experience, and it can model a willingness to grow and learn. Through this, new contexts are created which offer peers new ways of thinking about their victimization experience (see also Hardy et al, 2019 in Ali & Lucock, 2020; Konya et al, 2020; Cross, 2019; NHS, 2016 in Gregory et al, 2021).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The recognition and understanding between peers offer opportunities to validate reactions and behaviors and can make them feel more at ease with their own situation. Moreover, this process of normalization and the space created by peers to share thoughts and feelings diminishes the sense of isolation and feelings of guilt (Carey & MSW, 1999; Cross, 2019; Feigelman & Feigelman, 2008; Finn & Lavitt, 1994; Gregory et al, 2021; Hundt et al, 2015; Knight, 1990; Konya et al, 2020; van de Ven, 2020). Yalom (1985 in Knight, 1990) referred to this as ‘universality’.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a safe setting, peers constantly challenge each other’s roles and power relations (Carey & MSW, 1999; Feigelman & Feigelman, 2008; Hundt et al, 2015; Jackson & Dilger, 1995; Supiano, 2012). It provides a sounding board to confront, challenge, and possibly change views and beliefs, and fuels a renewed sense of one’s own possibilities and coping capabilities (Azevedo et al, 2020; Cross, 2019; Gregory et al, 2021; Konya et al, 2020). This new perspective enables participants to grow into a helper role, instead of only being helped by others, which can be crucial to recovery.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Key Characteristics and Role of Peer Support in the Aftermath of Victimization: A Scoping Review

Ven

Leferink

Pemberton

2021

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Topic: Currently, research into the key elements and role of peer support in the aftermath of victimization is limited. This study reviews the types of evidence available, clarifying key concepts in the literature, examining how research is conducted and identifying key characteristics or factors related to peer support in the aftermath of a victimization experience. Method: A scoping review was performed for peer-reviewed papers using predefined search terms. Studies addressing peer support among victims and survivors of crime, traffic accidents, calamities, suicide, and veterans were included. Selection was based on title and abstract and resulted in 16 papers eligible for review. An inductive thematic analysis was used to synthesize data and findings. Findings: Empirical studies into the key elements and role of peer support in the aftermath of victimization are limited in availability and scattered in terms of approach to research (e.g., methodology, type of respondents, type of peer support) and focus (such as focus on effects on mental health and well-being, on key elements or an evaluation of a support program). Studies mainly have an explorative and interpretative character. Key elements, operationalizations, positive outcomes and negative outcomes of peer support are discussed. Conclusion and discussion: The currently available knowledge on peer support in the aftermath of victimization lacks four points: cross-cultural studies, lived experiences as empirical findings, a variety of victimization events and longitudinal studies. Moreover, it is argued that future research should be improved by adopting a contextual and narrative approach.

show abstract

PROTOCOL: Informal social support interventions for improving outcomes for victim‐survivors of domestic violence and abuse: An evidence and gap map

Bird

Stokes²,

Rivas

et al. 2022

Campbell Systematic Reviews

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This is the protocol for a Campbell Evidence Gap Map. The main objectives of the EGM are: establish the nature and extent of the primary empirical evidence on informal social support interventions, identify interventions and clusters of evidence suitable for systematic review/evidence synthesis and identify gaps in the evidence on informal social support interventions. 1 | BACKGROUND 1.1 | The problem, condition or issue Data from around the world have highlighted that the Covid-19 pandemic has intensified domestic violence and abuse (DVA), especially against women and girls (UN Women, 2020). Covid mitigation policies have increased women's vulnerability to DVA through stay-at-home mandates alongside wider barriers that impede access to their usual community resources and health care services (Nordhues et al., 2021). During this time, policing, health and frontline services have faced a number of challenges in seeking to identify and support individuals who are/have been experiencing violence and abuse in an intimate relationship. Anecdotal evidence suggests that such victim-survivors have been less able and/or willing to seek help from traditional first responders (Peterman et al., 2020) whilst more informal sources of support have faced increased demands. Within the UK, Refuge (domestic abuse organisation) saw a 700% increase in the number of visits to their Helpline website during the first

show abstract

Peer-led groups for survivors of sexual abuse and assault: a systematic review

Cited by 19 publications

References 40 publications

Perceptions of Peer Support for Victim-Survivors of Sexual Violence and Abuse: An Exploratory Study With Key Stakeholders

Perceptions of Peer Support for Victim-Survivors of Sexual Violence and Abuse: An Exploratory Study With Key Stakeholders

The Key Characteristics and Role of Peer Support in the Aftermath of Victimization: A Scoping Review

PROTOCOL: Informal social support interventions for improving outcomes for victim‐survivors of domestic violence and abuse: An evidence and gap map

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About