Understanding the Consequences of Sexual Assault: What Does It Mean for Prevention to Be Trauma Informed?

DePrince, Anne P.; Gagnon, Kerry L.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-805389-8.00002-5

Cited by 15 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…The inability to accurately assess risk in dangerous situations has been previously tied to both maltreatment and revictimization (Bockers et al, 2014); whereas an enhanced ability to detect threat may be protective against revictimization. It is possible that the cognitive deficits that have been linked with maltreatment affect one's ability to recognize risk and may hinder one's ability to utilize effective and assertive behavioral responses when they encounter a potentially threatening situation (DePrince & Gagnon, 2018). Further, dissociative and numbing symptoms of PTSD may decrease one's overall awareness, which may also impair accurate risk assessment (Yeater et al, 2010), though these relations have largely been investigated in the context of sexual trauma.…”

Section: Risk Factors For Revictimizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revictimization Risk Factors Following Childhood Maltreatment: A Literature Review

Walker

Wamser‐Nanney

2022

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

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Revictimization research, to date, has primarily focused on sexual revictimization (i.e., child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault), which has resulted in a lack of understanding of trauma revictimization more generally. Specifically, it is unclear what factors are placing individuals with a history of child maltreatment (i.e., sexual abuse, physical abuse, and witnessing intimate partner violence [IPV]) at greater risk for subsequent adult victimization (i.e., sexual assault and IPV). Existing theoretical and empirical work on revictimization suggest that multiple risk factors are likely present within this framework (e.g., posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], emotion dysregulation, and risk-taking behaviors). Prior research has suggested that PTSS are often linked with these other risk factors, and it is possible that the development of PTSS following child maltreatment may be related to the development or maintenance of additional factors that increase the likelihood of revictimization. The purpose of this review was to synthesize findings regarding risk factors that place maltreated individuals at greater risk for adult revictimization. Approximately 228 studies were identified following a thorough search of the peer-reviewed literature using multiple databases (PsycINFO, PILOTS, and Google Scholar). Each study was critically analyzed for relevance. The included studies were used in our review of prevalence, specific risk factors that have been identified, and unanswered questions in this literature. PTSS were noted to be particularly important in the revictimization framework, and thus, a novel model of revictimization was also proposed where PTSS are illustrated as being associated with the development and maintenance of other factors within the revictimization framework.

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Section: Risk Factors For Revictimizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revictimization Risk Factors Following Childhood Maltreatment: A Literature Review

Walker

Wamser‐Nanney

2022

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

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“…Research also consistently demonstrates that the perpetrator is known to the victim in most (75–80%) sexual assaults ( Brennan & Taylor-Butts, 2008 ; Sinha, 2013 ). Sexual assault victims experience a myriad of negative psychological, emotional, neurocognitive, physical health, relational, and social outcomes that have been well-documented ( DePrince & Gagnon, 2018 ; Jozkowski & Sanders, 2012 ; Ullman & Brecklin, 2002 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I Felt Powerful and Confident”: Women’s Use of What They Learned in Feminist Sexual Assault Resistance Education

Crann

Senn

Radtke

et al. 2021

Psychology of Women Quarterly

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Research on women’s response and resistance to sexual assault risk has informed the development of interventions to improve women’s ability to effectively resist sexual assault. However, little is known about how women anticipate, navigate, and respond to risk following participation in sexual assault risk reduction/resistance education programs. In this study, we examined the information and skills used by university women who had recently completed the effective Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) sexual assault resistance program. We analyzed responses from 445 women using descriptive statistics and content and thematic analysis. Just under half (42%) of women used at least one EAAA strategy in the following 2 years. Most women reported that their efforts were successful in stopping an attack. Women’s responses included strategies both to preempt sexual assault threat (e.g., avoiding men who display danger cues, communicating assertively about wanted and unwanted sex) and to interrupt or avoid an imminent threat (e.g., yelling, hitting, and kicking). Women’s use of resistance strategies worked to subvert gendered social norms and socialization. The results suggest that counter to criticisms that risk reduction/resistance programs blame women or make them responsible for stopping men’s violence, women who took EAAA typically positioned themselves as agentic and empowered in their resistance.

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“…Experiences of sexual assault can affect every aspect of a person’s life and can result in complex trauma that impacts on physical and mental health, personal relationships, and alcohol and drug use (Campbell et al, 2009; DePrince & Gagnon, 2018; McCauley & Casler, 2015; Moylan & Javorka, 2020; Ullman et al, 2013; World Health Organization, 2021). Experiences of sexual assault can result in negative biological, physiological, and sociological outcomes so there is a need to provide effective interventions and treatments that can respond to the multiplicity of ways sexual assault–related trauma manifests (Chivers-Wilson, 2006).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trauma-informed approaches to supporting survivors of sexual assault are essential as they recognize that sexual assault is likely to impact all aspects of a person’s life (DePrince & Gagnon, 2018). In particular, recognizing the role that power plays in a survivor’s relationships and finding ways to focus on an individual’s empowerment through decision making is an essential part of effective intervention and support after sexual assault (DePrince & Gagnon, 2018; McCauley & Casler, 2015). While there remains a dearth of empirical evidence supporting specific interventions for survivors of sexual assault, a number of therapeutic approaches have shown statistically significant improvements in PTSD and depression, including cognitive-processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, supportive counseling, supportive psychotherapy, and assertiveness training (Regehr et al, 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Group Therapy for Survivors of Adult Sexual Assault: A Scoping Review

Heard

Walsh

2021

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

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Across the world, women experience significant rates of sexual assault and there is a need to strengthen support services offered to survivors. Group therapy could provide an important addition to services that support healing and growth; however, the effectiveness of group therapy interventions with survivors of adult sexual assault is not well understood and clearer insights into designing and running group therapy interventions require further exploration. This review synthesizes literature exploring group therapy for survivors of adult sexual assault to inform future interventions and research implementing group therapy. A systematic approach was used to gather literature describing and evaluating group therapy interventions with survivors of adult sexual assault. Of the initial 466 articles identified through a comprehensive search strategy including database and hand searches, 32 met the inclusion criteria by describing a group therapy intervention conducted with survivors of adult sexual assault. A thematic approach to analysis was conducted to synthesize and collate the literature. Findings explore potentially useful strategies and characteristics of group therapy with survivors of adult sexual assault and make recommendations for the design and evaluation of future interventions. Group therapy has potential as a valuable support service provided to survivors but further rigorous research and evaluations are required to better capture outcomes and understand how to design and implement effective interventions.

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Understanding the Consequences of Sexual Assault: What Does It Mean for Prevention to Be Trauma Informed?

Cited by 15 publications

References 66 publications

Revictimization Risk Factors Following Childhood Maltreatment: A Literature Review

Revictimization Risk Factors Following Childhood Maltreatment: A Literature Review

“I Felt Powerful and Confident”: Women’s Use of What They Learned in Feminist Sexual Assault Resistance Education

Group Therapy for Survivors of Adult Sexual Assault: A Scoping Review

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