Effects of a Rape Experience - A Longitudinal Study

• NCJ Number: 81154
• Journal: Journal of Social Issues Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: (1981) Pages: 105-122
• Author(s): D G Kilpatrick; P A Resick; L J Veronen
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): RO1 MH29602
• Sponsoring Agency: US Congress
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

After reviewing previous work on psychological effects of a rape experience, this paper reports the results of a longitudinal investigation of victim reactions to rape.

Abstract

Adult victims (N=20) were assessed at 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year postrape, and a group of matched nonvictims (N=20) were assessed at similar intervals. Findings were that victims were significantly more anxious, fearful, suspicious, and confused than nonvictims for at least a year after their assaults. However, there was a significant improvement on those as well as other measures of personality and mood state over time, particularly between 1 and 6 months. Implications of these findings with regard to both social learning and feminist theory and therapy are discussed. (Publisher abstract)