Open AccessA Meta-Summary of Qualitative Findings about Professional Services for Survivors of Sexual Violence
Author(s) -
Donna S. Martsolf,
Claire Burke Draucker,
Christina Benson Cook,
Ratchneewan Ross,
Andrea Warner Stidham,
Prudencia Mweemba
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.335
H-Index - 35
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2010.1162
Subject(s) - qualitative research , focus group , sexual violence , psychology , health professionals , clinical psychology , sexual abuse , medicine , nursing , suicide prevention , psychiatry , poison control , health care , sociology , political science , medical emergency , social science , anthropology , law
Sexual violence occurs at alarming rates in children and adults. Survivors experience myriad negative health outcomes and legal problems, which place them in need of professional services. A meta-summary was conducted of 31 published qualitative studies on adults' responses to sexual violence, with a focus on survivors' use of professional services. Combined samples included 46 men, 984 women, and six couples who had experienced sexual violence at any point in their lives. Findings indicated that qualities of professional service providers and outcomes of professional services were perceived either positively or negatively (rather than neutrally) by survivors, regardless of the provider's professional discipline. Professionals who work with sexual violence survivors can use these findings to improve their practices.