This second edition provides a comprehensive, social ecological review of women's rape and sexual assault disclosures and how support providers can better respond to them and challenge rape culture. Women who have been raped and sexually assaulted are often retraumatized by negative social reactions from family and friends, healthcare professionals, institutions, and society at large. Sarah Ullman educates supporters on more appropriate responses that empower survivors and help them heal. Drawing on interviews with survivors and support providers, she offers powerful, provocative insights to therapists, other frontline workers assisting survivors, researchers, and students. She reviews transtheoretical research on why, how often, and to whom women disclose; the impact of social contexts on disclosures; and social reactions from informal support networks and professionals in a variety of institutional settings. New to this edition is updated research addressing social media, social phenomena like the MeToo movement, and informal supporters' experiences with survivors. While most research still focuses on White, heterosexual, and cisgender women, emerging findings on LGBTQ+ individuals, cis males, people of color, and people with disabilities are reviewed where available.

People habitually generate causal explanations (i.e., attributions) for unexpected, unpleasant life events (Joseph, Yule, & Williams, 1993) and the meaning assigned to such experiences via these attributions may serve as a source of vulnerability for the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Internal attributions (i.e. self blame) have been routinely associated with greater distress levels among victims of sexual assault (e.g., Arata & Burkhart, 1996; Frazier, 1990). Janoff-Bulman (1979) theorized a distinction between two types of self-blame: behavioral and characterological. The former is theorized to encompass attributions of blame central to one's (controllable) behavior, while the latter is thought to reflect self-blame specific to one's character deficits and perceived deservingness for an event. Janoff-Bulman further proposed that behavioral self-blame would be more adaptive than characterological self blame, since the former is thought to be associated with greater perceived avoidability and controllability over future events. The purpose of the present study was to examine the adaptive value of behavioral and characterological self-blame among survivors of sexual assault. Eighty-nine sexual assault survivors recruited from undergraduate psychology courses completed measures of PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptom severity, self-blame, and future avoidability. In addition, they completed writing exercises designed to elicit causal explanations for their assault. Results revealed positive associations between characterological self-blame and PTSD (r=.46, p

A result of a conference at the University of Trier, Germany, this volume mirrors its goals: * to provide an overview of recent advances in research on critical life events and the losses associated with them * to collect and stimulate new perspectives for the analysis of these events * to compare the psychology of victims experiencing stress and losses with the psychology of observers in their reactions to victims. Designed to prevent developmental psychological myths in the area of life crises, this collection questions, on an empirical basis, the adequacy of several widespread generalizations. At the same time its contributors attempt to draw paths to conceptualizations and theories in general psychology and social psychology which promise to be helpful in analyzing and interpreting phenomena in the field of life crises.

This timely handbook provides in-depth overviews of the myriad and multi-faceted issues surrounding sexual assault and its pervasiveness in today’s culture. Drawing for multiple viewpoints and experts, the book is divided into seven comprehensive sections, covering such topics as risk factors, varying theoretical frameworks, prevention and intervention, and special populations. Within these sections the authors provide historical background as well as the latest research, and offer treatment outcomes and potentials.Selected topics covered in this book include: Feminist theories of sexual assault Social and economic factors surrounding sexual violence Mental, physiological, physical, and functional health concerns of victims, including PTSD Major categories of sexual offenders Treatment of sexual assault survivors in the LGBTQ+ community Procedural processes related to sexual assault investigation and adjudication within the criminal justice system The Handbook of Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault Prevention is a vital book that will appeal to a broad spectrum of students, researchers, practitioners, and clinicians in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, community mental health, and sociology.

From clinical psychologist Linda E. Ledray, Recovering from Rape is a comprehensive handbook offering emotional support and practical guidance to survivors and their loved ones in coping and overcoming the trauma of rape. If you have been sexually assaulted, you are probably experiencing a mix of fear, anger, and depression. If you are a relative, friend, or lover of someone who has been assaulted, you too may be deeply affected by the incident and by the survivor’s reaction to it. However, working together, survivors and their loved ones can recover and may even be able to turn the recovery into an opportunity for positive change and growth. The experiences of survivors recounted throughout this book reassure readers that others have pulled through. Dr. Ledray helps survivors realize that no matter what they did—wore a low-cut blouse, accepted a ride from a stranger, invited an acquaintance home—they did not deserve to be raped. She guides them from guilt or disbelief through bitterness and despair to the decision to take back control of their lives. In addition, this comprehensive handbook explains what to expect at the police station, at the hospital, and, if necessary, in court. It covers such health issues as incest, STD treatments, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and legal information on prosecution and bail, DNA testing, and rape law. An essential resource, Recovering from Rape helps readers learn the most effective ways of dealing with their feelings immediately following an assault, during the subsequent few months, and beyond.

This textbook provides practical guidance to enable health professionals to support survivors of sexual violence. It gives insight into the complex and wide-ranging nature and experience of sexual violence, barriers to disclosure, and explores the implications for survivors, health professionals and healthcare organisations. An evidence-based resource, this book provides information, guidance and signposting for all those who might receive disclosures of sexual violence, challenging perceptions, stigma and judgement. As well as discussing disclosure of recent experiences, it takes into account that life events may trigger the re-surfacing of prior experiences. The book also operates as a practical tool, prompting professionals to reflect on their own clinical experience of dealing with disclosures of sexual violence. The chapters look at the full breadth of sexual violence and abuse, including rape and sexual assault, child sexual abuse, harassment and stalking, exploitation, trafficking, conflict situations, traditional practices and sexual violence in LGBTQAI+ communitites. Enabling readers to develop the necessary knowledge and understanding to inform their practice, this book is a comprehensive resource for all health professionals, across primary and secondary care. It is also a valuable text for those taking post-registration courses in sexual health, specialist community and public health nursing, district nursing, mental health and children’s nursing among others. Reflection sections can be used to support professional registration revalidation.