Presents a literature review concerning the effects of rape on sexual functioning and suggestions for facilitating sexual recovery of rape survivors in counseling. (Author)

Surveyed 531 college students to examine prevalence of campus sexual assault. Found that one in six women reported assault, with no difference in rate between first- and upper-year women. Alcohol was more commonly involved than was force. Nonconsensual intercourse increased over time in college. Concluded that universities need carefully timed and…

Objective:: Child maltreatment and family functioning were examined as predictors of adult rape in a sample of 925 college women. Method:: Information was obtained from retrospective self-report questionnaires. Child sexual abuse (CSA) was assessed with the Life Experiences Questionnaire, child emotional abuse (CEA) and physical abuse (CPA) were…

Women who seek medical care following sexual assault are usually evaluated and treated in an emergency department (ED). Therefore, EDs can be an important source of sexual assault surveillance data. The authors compared the incidence of sexual assault presenting for emergency care in a single county during July to November of 1974 and 1991.…

During the past 20 years, researchers have documented the widespread problem of rape in American society. Approximately one in four women are raped in their adult lifetime, which causes severe psychological distress and long-term physical health problems. The impact of sexual assault extends far beyond rape survivors as their family, friends, and…

An abundance of surveys and news reports have clearly indicated that sexual assaults and other violent crimes are prevalent on U.S. college and university campuses. What isn't as well known is how little is being done by most institutions to try and reduce this fact. Poor awareness of the reality of crime rates, combined with widespread policies…

Research has suggested that childhood sexual abuse (CSA) may be a risk factor for adulthood sexual assault. This study examined associations between CSA experiences, cognitive resiliency variables, and revictimization. Participants were 73 college-age females who completed self-report questionnaires assessing CSA, adult assault, self-efficacy,…

Recent trials have brought the issue of date rape into public awareness. It is appropriate to examine the impact of variables such as the appearance of the accuser, the relationship between the accuser and the defendant, and the behavior of the accuser and defendant on attributions of responsibility in a rape situation. This study manipulated…

Several investigations have demonstrated that individuals tend to blame the victims of personal misfortune. However, few studies have been conducted to determine the dimensionality of the victim blame construct. Previous research has distinguished between two kinds of self-blame: behavioral and characterological. Individuals may blame themselves…

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) collects data on crimes that are not reported to the police as well as those that are reported. Because some crimes are difficult or impossible to examine in a general population survey, the NCVS measures only the personal victimizations of rape, robbery, assault, and theft, and the household crimes…

This paper on sexual assault defines the terms connected with sexual assault and identifies the most common situations in which sexual assault occurs. Information on the types of people who are sexual assault offenders is presented. Common myths concerning sexual assault, particularly rape, that are held in some segments of society are presented…

This document provides witness testimonies and prepared statements from the Congressional hearing called to consider the problems of juvenile victims in sexual assault cases. Opening statements are given by Senators Arlen Specter, Paul Simon, and Mitch McConnell. The recent controversy concerning the rape conviction of Gary Dotson and the…

Because violent crime may produce persistent stress-related problems for many victims, it is important to determine what factors best predict development and persistence of stress-related problems. A study was conducted to examine the extent to which development and persistence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) could be predicted on the…

Research has shown rape to be an act of violence which affects the lives of many individuals each year. For many survivors of rape, effects on psychological functioning and lifestyle may endure for many years. This study was undertaken to develop and pilot the Rape Assessment Schedule, an interview schedule designed to assess the very long-term…

Examined the effects of victim and defendent attractiveness on the judgments of 96 students responding to an account of a rape. Results showed subjects tended to be biased against the attractive victim but biased in favor of the attractive defendent. (JAC)