Sexual Violence-Related Stigma, Mental Health, and Treatment-Seeking: A Multimodal Assessment in a Population-Based Study of Young Adults

J Interpers Violence. 2023 Oct;38(19-20):11243-11271. doi: 10.1177/08862605231179715. Epub 2023 Jul 25.

Abstract

Sexual violence (SV) is a stigmatized form of trauma, yet the stigma experiences of those reporting SV are often assumed rather than explicitly measured. We adapted a measure that quantified three key features of SV stigma across three levels: negative self-image (individual), disclosure concerns (interpersonal), and concerns about public attitudes (structural). We administered this measure to a population-based sample of Swedish young adults (N = 453) who reported a history of either sexual assault (SA) or intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV). Among both groups, 89% endorsed at least one item on the stigma scale. Experiences of SV-related stigma were associated with significantly higher symptoms of generalized anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder, with greater perceived need for mental health treatment, and with more shame (measured implicitly via a reaction-time task). Experiences of stigma were negatively associated with symptoms of alcohol misuse. Results suggest that exposure to SV stigma may be a critical, but often overlooked, correlate of post-assault recovery.

Keywords: GLBT; cultural contexts; domestic violence; mental health and violence; sexual assault.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Crime Victims* / psychology
  • Humans
  • Intimate Partner Violence* / psychology
  • Mental Health
  • Sex Offenses* / psychology
  • Social Stigma
  • Young Adult