Citation

Henin S, Black LP. J. Am. Coll. Emerg. Physicians Open 2021; 2(4): e12490.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/emp2.12490

PMID

34263251

Abstract

In this issue, Buchbinder et al. present "'I Still Feel So Lost': Experiences of Women Receiving SANE Care during the Year after Sexual Assault," providing priceless insights about the short-term and long-term impact of sexual assault on patients.1 This prospective, longitudinal, multicenter observational study spanning 13 geographically distributed sites included responses from 590 English speaking adult women who received sexual assault nurse examiner evaluation within 72 hours of the sexual assault. These women were asked at 1 week, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after sexual assault, "What do you think is most important for researchers to understand about your experience since the assault?" This is the first large scale qualitative study of sexual assault survivors seen in US emergency care centers and adds to the literature on the long-term burden of sexual assault and the implications for emergency caregivers.

Themes that emerged from the study fell into 12 broad categories: daily life, justice, medical and social services, mental health, physical health, prior trauma, recovery, romantic relationships, safety, self, shame, and social interactions. The participants reported in "searing detail the challenges faced during the year after assault, including mental distress, a profoundly altered sense of self, a justice system experienced as grossly unfair, financial difficulties due to assault-related disability, burden of previous life trauma weighing more heavily, struggles with romantic relationships and interactions."1 Descriptions of the impact of sexual assault on daily life included, "It affects you in every aspect of life."1
There are 3 key lessons that every emergency caregiver should take away from this article:

The long-term burden of sexual assault has characteristics that overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder, including difficulties with social interaction and major disruption of daily routines.

Sexual assault patients have challenges accessing care and health services. Emergency caregivers should be aware of the need to provide comprehensive resources to sexual assault patients.

Sexual assault patients struggle with guilt and need to hear that the assault was not their fault from the emergency caregivers.

The literature has been clear regarding clinical needs of sexual assault patients, including assessing and providing...

Language: en

Keywords

sexual assault; neurobiology of trauma; trauma‐informed care