NCJ Number
228103
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 15 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2009 Pages: 898-919
Date Published
August 2009
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This article compares and examines the longer-term psychological consequences of incapacitated rape to those of forcible rape and verbal coercion.
Abstract
Findings from study one indicate that forcible rape victims report the highest number of posttraumatic symptoms, followed by incapacitated rape victims, with victims of verbal coercion reporting the fewest, posttraumatic symptoms. The first two groups generally showed more distress than victims of verbal coercion. Study two expanded upon the first study, involving a more diverse community and gathering event-level data. Victims of all three type of rape differed significantly on the trauma perceived at the time of the event, with victims of forcible and incapacitated rape perceiving equivalent levels of current trauma, generally greater than that perceived by victims of verbal coercion. Data for both studies were collected by self-reporting on all variables; the first study included 265 university students; the second study involved 244 women drawn from a larger community. Participants completed questionnaires detailing unwanted sexual experiences, using the National Women's Study PTSD Module, and the Cognitive Distortions Scale. Participants in study two were given event level interviews, measuring past and current levels of trauma and responsibility. Tables, notes, and references