Sexual Assault Disclosure and Helpseeking Advice

• In Event: Understanding the Dynamics of Sexual Assault and System Responses

Abstract

Approximately 20 to 25 percent of women will experience attempted or completed rape while in college. Research has noted that sexual assault survivors most frequently disclose victimization to informal support systems, such as friends and family, rather than formal mechanisms like criminal justice system personnel or mental health providers. Disclosure can facilitate posttraumatic growth, if the person to whom the survivor has turned to for help responds with empathy. In contrast, disclosure responses that attribute culpability have increased negative sequela and inhibited helpseeking behavior. Identifying responses among those likely to receive a disclosure can enhance programming in university settings designed to prepare students for contact with sexual assault survivors. Using 400 survey responses, this study assessed the role of prior victimization, empathy, and culpability on intervention-related responses to a sexual assault disclosure. Policy implications and future research directions are discussed.

Authors

• Alondra D. Garza, Sam Houston State University

• Cortney A. Franklin, Sam Houston State University