Providing and Receiving Sexual Assault Disclosures: Findings From a Sexually Diverse Sample of Young Adults

Abstract

This study utilized a sample of primarily lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ)-identified young adults from across the United States to pilot test a new instrument, the Reactions Provided to Disclosures Questionnaire (RPDQ), and assess the disclosure experience for both those who provide and those who receive disclosures of sexual assault. Results indicate that the experience of sexual assault disclosure in the LGBQ community is similar to the heterosexual community in that most victims disclose their assaults, most often to a friend, and were most likely to receive the reaction Emotional Support. Victims were also likely to receive the reaction Victim Blaming, especially if they disclosed to formal sources, such as law enforcement, medical, or religious personnel. This study also examined the relationship between the types of assault experienced and disclosure reactions received. Experiencing an anal assault was significantly associated with Victim Blaming reactions. A central aim of this study was to examine how respondents who received (rather than provided) a disclosure reacted, a question not been adequately addressed in prior literature. The RPDQ (a modification of Ullman's Social Reactions Questionnaire), which was piloted here, factored in to five types of reactions: Emotional Support, Affectionate Support, Empathetic Support, Tangible Aid and Information Support, and Egocentric Reactions. Sexual assault survivors were more likely to report that they provided Emotional Support and Affectionate Support after receiving a disclosure than were nonsurvivors.

Between healing and revictimization: The experience of public self-disclosure of sexual assault and its perceived effect on recovery.

“…This limits the generalizability of the study’s findings regarding survivors with other characteristics. Accordingly, future research should examine how the intersections of various demographic factors (such as socioeconomic status, race, and sexual orientation) affect the public self-disclosure experience (Koon-Magnin & Schulze, 2019). In the Israeli context, specifically, particular attention should be given to the plight of Arab and religious survivors, in light of their unique cultural characteristics, which may deter them from disclosures of any kind (Tener et al, 2018; Zeira, Astor, & Benbenishty, 2002).…”

Correlates of Social Reactions to Victims’ Disclosures of Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review

“…Disclosing to formal support providers or informal sources only did not influence receipt of positive social reactions, except for tangible aid, which was more commonly provided by formal support sources. Koon-Magnin and Schulze (2019) found that most victims told a friend about sexual assault and were most likely to receive emotional support social reactions than those telling other support sources. Victims disclosing to formal sources, such as police, medical, or religious personnel, were also more likely to be blamed than those not telling those sources.…”

“…Perceived life threat during sexual assault was unrelated to receiving positive social reactions (Ullman et al, 2007) but related to more negative social reactions in sexual assault victims. In a sample of primarily lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer-identified young adults, experiencing an anal assault was related to receiving more victim-blaming reactions (Koon-Magnin & Schulze, 2019). Sullivan et al’s (2010) study of current victims of IPV showed that sexual IPV victimization was related to receiving both positive and negative social reactions.…”

Institutional commitment to combating sexual violence: The practices and policies of U.S. universities

“…That mandatory sexual assault prevention training for faculty was also significantly correlated to reported rapes suggests their vital role in the reporting process. Research has shown that students, both heterosexual and nonheterosexual, are more likely to disclose an assault to a friend rather than law enforcement (Koon‐Magnin & Schulze, 2016). Our analysis had initially included whether or not training was mandatory for students but, given that it was not significantly related to reported rapes, the variable was omitted.…”