Social Reactions, Coping Strategies, and Self-Blame Attributions in Adjustment to Sexual Assault

1996 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Ullman
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Sexual Assault Survivors ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Social Reactions ◽  
Assault Victims ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Negative Social Reactions

The present study investigated the impact of social reactions of others to sexual-assault victims on disclosure of their victimization. A convenience sample of adult sexual-assault victims ( N = 155) completed a mail survey in which they reported information about their sexual assaults and postassault experiences. As expected, all negative social reactions were strongly associated with increased psychological symptoms, whereas most positive social reactions were unrelated to adjustment. The only social reactions related to better adjustment were being believed and being listened to by others. Victims experiencing negative social reactions also reported poorer adjustment even when other variables known to affect psychological recovery were controlled. Avoidance coping mediated the association of negative social reactions with adjustment. Implications of these findings for research and treatment of sexual-assault survivors are discussed.

Do Social Reactions to Sexual Assault Victims Vary by Support Provider?

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Ullman
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Social Reactions ◽  
Support Provider ◽  
Assault Victims ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rape Crisis

The present study investigated whether the type of social reaction(s) experienced by sexual assault victims varies according to the type of social support provider told about the assault in a convenience sample of victims (N = 155) completing a mail survey. Both closed-ended data and open-ended written responses were analyzed to determine the types of social reactions victims experienced from a variety of informal and formal support providers. Tangible aid/information support was reported more often from women disclosing to rape crisis centers, police, and physicians, whereas emotional support/validation was commonly reported by those telling rape crisis centers. Being blamed, treated differently, distracted, and discouraged from talking about the assault were more common responses for women telling physicians or police. Analyses exploring whether the impact of social reactions on victim adjustment varied according to support provider type showed that, as hypothesized, emotional support from friends was related to better recovery than emotional support from other support sources. However, contrary to expectation, the impact of victim blame on adjustment did not vary according to type of support provider. Implications for research on social support and clinical treatment of sexual assault victims are discussed.

The Role of Reactions to Disclosure in Mental Health Among Survivors of Sexual Assault

2021 ◽  
pp. 23-34
Author(s):  
Amie R. Newins ◽  
Laura C. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Primary Reason ◽  
Sexual Assault Survivors ◽  
Social Reactions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Psychosocial Difficulties ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Negative Social Reactions

Although services and support have the potential to be helpful, a survivor’s trajectory toward recovery is contingent on the social reactions they receive. Given that fear of negative social reactions is the primary reason that sexual assault survivors delay disclosing or fail to disclose their victimization to others, we review numerous correlates of when and why survivors disclose their assault, typical social reactions survivors receive, the psychosocial impact of social reactions on survivors, and recommendations for ways providers can provide services that are more survivor-centered. Because nondisclosure limits the resources, services, and support available to survivors, it is important to understand what contributes to survivors’ decisions regarding if and when they tell others about their victimization. Furthermore, given the link between negative reactions and psychosocial difficulties, it is important to minimize the potential for a survivor to receive a harmful response from a provider.

Correlates of Women’s Sexual Assault Disclosure to Informal and Formal Support Sources

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura L. Starzynski ◽  
Sarah E. Ullman ◽  
Henrietta H. Filipas ◽  
Stephanie M. Townsend
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Informal Support ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sexual Assault Survivors ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Formal Support ◽  
Social Reactions ◽  
Adult Sexual Assault ◽  
Attributions Of Blame ◽  
Assault Survivors

Deciding which people to tell about sexual assault is an important and potentially consequential decision for sexual assault survivors. Women typically receive many different positive and negative reactions when they disclose sexual assault to social support sources. A diverse sample of adult sexual assault survivors in the Chicago area was surveyed about sexual assault experiences, social reactions received when disclosing assault to others, attributions of blame, coping strategies, and PTSD. Analyses were run to identify demographic, assault, and postassault factors differentiating women disclosing to informal support sources only from those disclosing to both informal and formal support sources. Women disclosing to both formal and informal support sources experienced more stereotypical assaults, had more PTSD symptoms, engaged in less behavioral self-blame, and received more negative social reactions than those disclosing to informal support sources only. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.

‘You should tell somebody’: An evaluation of a survivor stories blog project to motivate sexual assault victims

2021 ◽  
pp. 001789692110164
Author(s):  
Rachel E Riggs
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Sexual Assault Survivors ◽  
Assault Victims ◽  
Positive Health Outcomes ◽  
Blog Posts

Objective: Sexual assault victims often do not disclose their assaults or seek positive health outcomes. The RAINN Survivor Stories project shares testimonials in the form of online blogs from sexual assault survivors to motivate and encourage others to come forward and disclose their assaults. This study aimed to better understand the themes present in the survivor stories to motivate victims to disclose their assaults and seek positive health outcomes. Design: A theoretical thematic analysis was conducted on blog posts created for the project to identify (a) how the posts tell survivor stories and (b) how the posts model positive health outcomes using social cognitive theory and the disclosure processes model as a guide. Setting: Online setting linked to the rainn.org website. Method: Blog posts were collected for inductive thematic analysis. Themes were identified based on their prevalence in the data and their pertinence to the research questions. Results: Emerging themes included (a) overcoming initial disclosure, (b) overcoming the lasting effects of victimisation, (c) utilising support and (d) advocating for others after assault. Conclusion: Findings offer insight to researchers and practitioners creating media messages for sexual assault victims and other stigmatised groups by expanding understanding of modelled positive health outcomes in media and the disclosure process of victims.

scholarly journals A Short Measure of Social Reactions to Sexual Assault: The Social Reactions Questionnaire-Shortened

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1096-1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Ullman ◽  
Mark Relyea ◽  
Rannveig Sigurvinsdottir ◽  
Sidney Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Women Survivors ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Alternative Measure ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Social Reactions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Confirmatory Factor

Social reactions to disclosures of sexual assault have significant effects on women’s postassault recovery. However, being the most widely used measure of these reactions, the 48-item Social Reactions Questionnaire (SRQ; Ullman, 2000) is too long for some research and evaluation efforts. Thus, we developed a 16-item short version, the Social Reactions Questionnaire-Shortened (SRQ-S). Three preexisting college and community samples of women survivors (N = 1,012; 1,084; and 344) were used to determine which SRQ items were most related to psychological symptoms and could form reliable subscales. The brief version was then administered in a college and community sample of 447 women survivors. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and supporting psychometrics showed the SRQ-S reliably measures three general scales of the SRQ (Turning Against, Unsupportive Acknowledgment, Positive Reactions) as well as eight 2-item subscales (e.g., Blame). The SRQ-S provides researchers and interventionists with a brief alternative measure to the original SRQ.

scholarly journals Unfounded Sexual Assault: Women’s Experiences of Not Being Believed by the Police

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052097819
Author(s):  
Jodie Murphy-Oikonen ◽  
Karen McQueen ◽  
Ainsley Miller ◽  
Lori Chambers ◽  
Alexa Hiebert
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Sexual Assaults ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sexual Assault Survivors ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
The Impact

One in four women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. Although less than 5% of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement, one in five cases reported to police are deemed baseless (by police) and therefore coded as “unfounded.” Police officers are in a unique position to act as gatekeepers for justice in sexual assault cases, given their responsibility to investigate sexual assault reports. However, high rates of unfounded sexual assaults reveal that dismissing sexual violence has become common practice amongst the police. Much of the research on unfounded sexual assault is based on police perceptions of the sexual assault, as indicated in police reports. Women’s perspectives about their experiences with police are not represented in research. This qualitative study explored women’s experiences when their sexual assault report was disbelieved by the police. Data collection included open-ended and semi-structured interviews with 23 sexual assault survivors. Interviews covered four areas including the sexual assault, the experience with the police, the experience of not being believed, and the impact on their health and well-being. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and entered into NVIVO for analysis. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s analytic method, resulting in the identification of four themes, including, (a) vulnerability, (b) drug and alcohol use during the assault, (c) police insensitivity, and (d) police process. The women in this study who experienced a sexual assault and reported the assault to police were hopeful that police would help them and justice would be served. Instead, these women were faced with insensitivity, blaming questions, lack of investigation, and lack of follow-up from the police, all of which contributed to not being believed by the institutions designed to protect them. The findings from this research demonstrate that police officers must gain a deeper understanding of trauma and sensitive communication with survivors of sexual assault.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document