Confronting the Overlook: Speaking Out and Uncovering the Relationships Between Sexual Violence and Substance Abuse

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

The issues and consequences surrounding sexual violence and substance abuse, historically, have been felt at both the individual and societal level. However, despite the knowledge of their intertwinement, the exact nature of their relationship has yet to be fully understood. Through reexamination of old data and contribution of new, this study hopes to uncover the genuine and various relationships between histories of sexual violence and abuse of substances. Past studies have produced varying hypotheses regarding the nature of the correlation of the two subjects, including theories that sexual assault leads to substance abuse, substance abuse leads to assault, or that the relationship is reciprocal. However, none of these hypotheses have proven to be either conclusive or generalizable. By interviewing women receiving services from a crisis shelter, the current study will be able to observe and investigate the relationship of assault and addiction first-hand from the women who have experienced them both. Analyzing the information given by these valiant survivors will, optimistically, be able to supplement existing data and hopefully can inspire change in the way we view, react to, and treat assault and addiction – and demonstrate how this knowledge can be used to properly care for, rehabilitate, and empower survivors.

Author

• Gabriella Fabish, Westminster College, PA