What is it about?
Surviving sexual assault can leave lasting wounds, both physical and emotional. This study followed adult women over time to understand how sexual assault affected their mental health, especially posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problem drinking. The researchers focused on women who had already experienced sexual assault and looked at whether PTSD and problem drinking increased their risk of experiencing new assaults and worse outcomes in the following year. They found that when women were assaulted repeatedly, their PTSD symptoms got worse and they were more likely to engage in problem drinking. This was true even after accounting for earlier mental health symptoms. Revictimization can deepen trauma, negatively impact mental health, and lead to risky coping strategies like alcohol use.
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Why is it important?
The findings demonstrate that repeated sexual victimization significantly worsens PTSD symptoms and increases the risk of problem drinking. This research underscores the importance of early intervention and support services for survivors to prevent future harm. The research highlights how re-victimization compounds trauma over time, emphasizing the need for long-term mental health care and prevention strategies.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Prospective effects of sexual victimization on PTSD and problem drinking, Addictive Behaviors, November 2009, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.05.004.
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