Objective: Although there has been increased attention to campus interpersonal violence, there is limited information on survivor advocacy services. Participants: We recruited participants from 155 U.S. institutions of higher education responsible for advocacy services on their campus. Methods: We used a community participatory action approach in…

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sexual identity-behavior concordance and discordance with meeting recommendations for 24-hour movement behaviors in adolescents. Participants were US adolescents who reported a history of sexual partners from the 2015-2019 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 19688; 49.3%…

Objective: The current study examined the influence of rape myth acceptance on self-blame and psychological symptoms following a sexual assault. Participants: The sample included 280 female sexual assault survivors in college. Methods: In an online survey, participants completed the Sexual Experiences Survey -- Short Form Victimization, Updated…

Objective: Due to high prevalence rates of sexual assault among college-aged women and the benefits of disclosure (e.g., emotional well-being), it remains important to consider barriers to disclosure. The current paper aimed to examine if barriers to disclosure may be more salient to sorority women. Participants: We examined differences in rates…

There is a significant body of literature highlighting the impact of unwanted sexual experiences (USEs) on undergraduate health, disproportionately affecting female students compared to their male counterparts. Although we know much about the negative consequences of this concerning social and public health issue, we know little about survivor's…

Objective: One in five college women experience unwanted sexual contact while in college, with first-year women being at the greatest risk. Given these data, we investigate how first-semester sexual assault impacts college women's mental health. Participants: 483 female first-year students enrolled in the study during the first month of college.…

In the research project on sexual abuse of men during the war in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, detailed information from 60 victims of such crimes was gathered. The aim of the research was to define key attributes of sexual abuse of men in war as well as consequences it had on the victims. A method of structured interview was used. Also, the…

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has several deleterious effects on health and well-being, including increased risk for rape in adulthood. Such revictimization experiences are linked to negative mental health outcomes. The vast majority of literature on prevalence and impact of sexual revictimization has focused on heterosexual women. In an effort to…

Few rape survivors seek help from formal social systems after their assault. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that prevent survivors from seeking help from the legal, medical, and mental health systems and rape crisis centers. In this study, 29 female rape survivors who did not seek any postassault formal help were interviewed…

This review article examines rape victims' experiences seeking postassault assistance from the legal, medical, and mental health systems and how those interactions impact their psychological well-being. This literature suggests that although some rape victims have positive, helpful experiences with social system personnel, for many victims,…

In South Africa, females under the age of 18 comprise approximately 40% of the rapes and other forms of sexual assault that occur. However, South African girls face multiple barriers to seeking help in the aftermath of sexual assault. This literature review provides an overview of childhood sexual assault in South African girls and addresses…

This is a study consisting of in-depth interviews with 12 women who were victims/survivors of acquaintance rape while attending a university in the Northeast. The interviews focused on research questions concerning actions taken by the victim/survivor after the assault, reactions to her disclosure of the assault, and the impact of assault. It was…

Crime victims and their problems have become the focus of considerable attention. In order to determine the effects of sexual assault versus other types of violent crime, and of completed crimes versus those attempted but not completed, 2,004 adult women (a response rate of 84.1%) completed telephone inteviews with female interviewers. Subjects…

The constructive replication of a prespecified, cognitively mediated model of rape's impact on psychosocial health is reported using longitudinal data (see Koss, Figueredo, & Prince, 2002, for a summary of model development). Rape survivors (n= 59) were assessed four times, 3 to 24 months postrape. Structural equations modeling of baseline data…

There is evidence that many women experience sexual assault, and that sexual assault can cause psychological and interpersonal problems. This study examined the psychological aftermath of sexual assault in a probability sample of female university students and employees (N=542), focusing on how various aspects of a victim's lifetime sexual assault…