Citation

Temple JR, Weston R, Rodriguez BF, Marshall LL. Violence Against Women 2007; 13(3): 285-297.

Affiliation

Brown Medical School, Providence, RI.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801206297437

PMID

17322272

Abstract

This study contrasted the effects of intimate partner and nonpartner sexual assault on women's mental health among a sample (N = 835) of low-income, ethnically diverse community women. Compared to sexual assault by a previous partner or by a non-intimate partner, sexual assault by a current partner was the strongest predictor of PTSD, stress, and dissociation. Non-intimate partner sexual assault was only a significant predictor of PTSD and only for African American women. These findings suggest that the victim-offender relationship is important when considering the impact of sexual assault. Specifically, sexual assault perpetrated by an intimate partner may be especially traumatic.

Language: en