Believe #metoo: Sexual Violence and Interpersonal Disclosure Experiences Among Women Attending a Sexual Assault Service in Australia: A Mixed-methods Study

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dc.contributor.authorRees, Susan
dc.contributor.authorSimpson, Lisa
dc.contributor.authorMcCormack, Clare
dc.contributor.authorMoussa, Batool
dc.contributor.authorAmanatidis, Sue
dc.date.accessioned2020-07-23T20:14:08Z
dc.date.available2020-07-23T20:14:08Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.description.abstractObjectives Sexual abuse is a strong predictor of future psychiatric problems. A more nuanced qualitative understanding of mental health outcomes, in the context of interpersonal responses from family members towards survivors after sexual abuse, may help to better inform prevention and interventions. Design A mixed-methods approach included a qualitative timeline method to map and identify contextual factors and mediating emotional responses associated with mental disorder following sexual abuse…Results The MINI prevalence of current post-traumatic stress disorder was 96.6% (n=28) and of major depressive disorder was 82.8% (n=24). More than half (53%) reported suicidal ideation at some time in their lives. Women exposed to childhood sexual abuse reported being ignored, not believed, or threatened with retribution on disclosing the abuse to others, usually adult family members, at or close to the time of the violation(s). Participants described experiences of self-blame, betrayal, and psychosocial vulnerability as being the responses that connected negative disclosure experiences with mental disorder. Participant accounts suggest that these reactions created the foundations for both immediate and long-term adverse psychological outcomes. Conclusion A more in-depth understanding of the type and emotional impact of negative responses to disclosure by parents and other family members, and the barriers to adequate support, validation and trust, may inform strategies to avert much of the longer-term emotional difficulties and risks that survivors encounter following childhood abuse experiences. These issues should receive closer attention in research, policy, and practice. (Author Abstract)en_US
dc.identifier.citationRees, Susan, Simpson, Lisa, McCormack, Clare, Moussa, Batool, & Amanatidis, Sue. (2019). Believe #metoo: Sexual Violence and Interpersonal Disclosure Experiences Among Women Attending a Sexual Assault Service in Australia: A Mixed-methods Study. BMJ Open. 9(7), 1-11 pgs.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/9/7/e026773.full.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11990/1892
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherBMJ Openen_US
dc.subjectMixed Methods Researchen_US
dc.subjectWomenen_US
dc.subjectAdult Survivors of Child Abuseen_US
dc.subjectChild Sexual Abuseen_US
dc.subjectSexual Abuseen_US
dc.subjectEmotional Burdenen_US
dc.subjectEmotional Distressen_US
dc.subject#MeTooen_US
dc.subjectLong Term Effectsen_US
dc.subjectMental Healthen_US
dc.subjectPTSDen_US
dc.subjectPosttraumatic Stressen_US
dc.subjectDisclosureen_US
dc.subjectBelieving Victimsen_US
dc.subjectThreatening Behavioren_US
dc.titleBelieve #metoo: Sexual Violence and Interpersonal Disclosure Experiences Among Women Attending a Sexual Assault Service in Australia: A Mixed-methods Studyen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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