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CHARACTERISTICS AND LIFE EXPERIENCES ASSOCIATED WITH RECEIVING A RAPE DISCLOSURE WITHIN A NATIONAL TELEPHONE HOUSEHOLD PROBABILITY SAMPLE OF WOMEN
Author(s) -
Paul Lisa A.,
Walsh Kate,
McCauley Jenna L.,
Ruggiero Kenneth J.,
Resnick Heidi S.,
Kilpatrick Dean G.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/jcop.21639
Subject(s) - receipt , psychology , clinical psychology , depression (economics) , self disclosure , sample (material) , binge drinking , psychiatry , suicide prevention , medicine , poison control , social psychology , medical emergency , chemistry , chromatography , world wide web , computer science , economics , macroeconomics
Disclosure of rape to informal support sources is relatively common, but not well understood. This study expands our limited knowledge of disclosure recipients’ experience by examining associations between their sociodemographic and life experiences with receipt of a rape disclosure and encouragement of the victim to formally report her assault. Over 35% of the 3,001 community‐residing women in this national sample reported receiving a rape disclosure. Women who had a personal history of sexual assault, met lifetime diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder or depression, met past‐year diagnostic criteria for substance abuse, engaged in monthly binge drinking and nonexperimental substance use, and sought help for emotional concerns were significantly more likely to be recipients. Approximately two thirds (69%) of disclosure recipients encouraged the victim to formally report the rape, and encouragement was also significantly associated with these characteristics. Implications of these findings for improving the disclosure process are provided.