NCJ Number
228797
Journal
Trauma, Violence, and Abuse Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 330-357
Date Published
October 2009
Length
28 pages
Annotation
A review of the literature was conducted on the mental health effects of ethnic minority women survivors of sexual assault.
Abstract
Key points of this research review include: (1) sexual assault of ethnic minority women often occurs at the intersection of intergenerational trauma, sexism, racism, and poverty; (2) American Indian and African-American women are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault; (3) the psychological impact of sexual assault on ethnic minority women includes higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, substance abuse, suicidality, lowered self-esteem, and somatic symptoms compared to their counterparts who had not been sexually assaulted; and (4) ethnic minority women are confronted with numerous barriers to obtaining protection and assistance, which include discriminatory policies, financial constraints, social stigma around mental health issues, language issues, and mistrust of agencies based on personal and historical experiences of violations. Expanding the literature on the intersection of culture and sexual assault represents a critical step in addressing the mental health care disparities that exist between ethnic groups in the United States. This paper is a review of the literature regarding the sociocultural context for mental health effects of sexual assault for African-American, Asian American, Latina, and Native American women. Future research recommendations and policy and counseling implications are presented and discussed. In summation, it is by actively moving the experiences and needs of ethnic minority women from the margins to the center, that scholars, practitioners, and policymakers will do their part in assisting diverse survivors on their road to recovery. References