ERIC Number: EJ878952
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0886-2605
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Friends of Survivors: The Community Impact of Unwanted Sexual Experiences
Banyard, Victoria L.; Moynihan, Mary M.; Walsh, Wendy A.; Cohn, Ellen S.; Ward, Sally
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, v25 n2 p242-256 2010
Since sexual assault survivors are most likely to disclose their experiences to a friend; prevention efforts increasingly focus on friends as informal helpers. The current study examined friends' perceptions of the disclosure experience. Undergraduates (N = 1,241) at the University of New Hampshire completed a shortened version of the Ahrens and Campbell (2000) Impact on Friends measure. Results found that about 1 in 3 female undergraduates and 1 in 5 male students were told by a friend that they were a victim of an unwanted sexual experience. Gender differences were found in friends' responses to disclosure. Women reported greater emotional distress in response to a friend's disclosure, greater positive responses and lesser-perceived confusion/ineffectiveness as compared to men. Implications include the need to develop specific and clear educational material to help the community cope with and effectively respond to unwanted sexual experiences on college campuses. (Contains 4 tables.)
Descriptors: Campuses, Sexual Abuse, Prevention, Instructional Materials, Sexuality, Gender Differences, Friendship, Self Disclosure (Individuals), Undergraduate Students, Measures (Individuals), Emotional Disturbances, Coping
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Hampshire
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A