Citation
Martin, Sandra L. & Parcesepe, Angela M. (2013). Sexual Assault and Women's Mental Health.. García-Moreno, Claudia & Riecher-Rössler, Anita (Eds.) (pp. 86-95). Basel, Switzerland: Karger.Abstract
Sexual assault of women is a common worldwide problem, with such violence being perpetrated by women’s intimate partners as well as other types of persons (acquaintances, friends, family members other than partners, strangers). Not only does sexual assault pose physical health risks to women, but it also has been associated with many types of mental health problems, including substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders, depression, and suicidal ideation and attempts. While most female sexual assault survivors experience negative mental health sequelae immediately following the assault, there is significant variability in the severity and duration of these symptoms. Factors influencing this variability include the survivor’s prior history of violence, the severity of the assault, and whether the survivor receives negative social reactions to her disclosure concerning the assault. Several brief cognitive behavior therapies (including Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and Stress Inoculation Training) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing have been shown to improve the mental health of many adult female sexual assault survivors.URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000342721Reference Type
Book SectionYear Published
2013Series Title
Key Issues in Mental HealthAuthor(s)
Martin, Sandra L.Parcesepe, Angela M.