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College women's experiences with rape disclosure: a national study
Lisa A Paul1, Kate Walsh, Jenna L McCauley
1Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA.
Violence Against Women
|May 9, 2013
Summary
Many college women receive rape disclosures from peers. Over two-thirds of these disclosure recipients encouraged victims to report the assault to authorities, highlighting the role of informal support networks in sexual assault response.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Victimology
- Public Health
Background:
- Rape disclosure to informal support networks is common but understudied.
- Understanding disclosure recipients is crucial for supporting sexual assault survivors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine characteristics of college students who receive rape disclosures.
- To identify factors associated with encouraging victims to report sexual assault.
- To explore the life experiences of rape disclosure recipients.
Main Methods:
- National survey of 2,000 female college students.
- Analysis of disclosure receipt, encouragement of reporting, personal history, mental health, and substance use.
Main Results:
- Over 40% of students received a rape disclosure.
- More than two-thirds of recipients encouraged formal reporting.
- Personal assault history, mental health, and substance use correlate with disclosure receipt and reporting encouragement.
Conclusions:
- Informal support networks play a significant role in sexual assault response.
- Disclosure recipients often act as facilitators for formal reporting.
- Further research should explore interventions within informal support systems.
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