Religious Coping: The Role of Religion in Attenuating the Effect of Sexual Victimization of College Women on Trust

Abstract

Recent reports concerning violence against women estimate that over 3 % of female college students are sexually assaulted each year. If other forms of non-consensual sexual contact are included in these numbers, the estimates climb to upwards of 20 %. With such high victimization rates, there is a resounding call for study of both offenders and victims in an effort to decrease these rates and to mitigate the social effects of being victimized. The present research focuses specifically on the latter, using a victimology-based approach. Using data from a longitudinal study of female college students, this paper outlines the effects of victimization on the generalized trust held by the victims. It is proposed that religion may serve as a means to attenuate these negative effects. Using ordered logistic regressions, religious service attendance is tested as a potential medium for the proposed attenuation.

Public health nursing and the issue of trust in campus sexual assault

“…Expectations are formed by direct contact with new acquaintances, establishing a relative level of trust. "Weak ties" to strangers may influence trust levels, but may also decrease fear of crime and victimization (Tamburello, Irwin, & Sherman, 2014). As an educator, the PHN working with this community is well positioned to deliver evidence-based interventions to both individuals and groups who may be most affected by unintended sexual health outcomes (Alexander, Jemmott, Teitelman, & D'Antonio, 2015).…”