Changes in Women's Sexual Behavior Following Sexual Assault

Abstract

The present study examines changes in women's sexual activity and behavior following sexual assault and the relationship between alcohol abuse and postassault promiscuity. Although many researchers have focused on avoidance of sexual activity following an assault, some have suggested that women may exhibit an increase in sexual activity postassault. Such outcomes are not mutually exclusive possibilities but may instead reflect subtypes of sexual assault victims. A significant percentage of assault survivors did report increases in sexual activity following trauma. Assault survivors also reported increases in posttraumatic alcohol consumption relative to a comparison sample of motor vehicle accident survivors. In both groups, increases in posttraumatic alcohol usage predicted increases in posttraumatic sexual activity, suggesting that use of alcohol as a coping strategy may result in an increased likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behavior. If true, this maladaptive coping mechanism could help to account for some instances of revictimization.

Keywords

sexual assault sexual activity alcohol use promiscuity

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author .

Breslau, N. , Kessler, R. , Chilcoat, H. , Schultz, L. , Davis, G. , & Andreski, P. (1998). Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in the community. Archives of General Psychology, 55, 626-632.

Cupitt, C. (1998). Sexual History Questionnaire. In C. Davis , W. Yarber , R. Bauserman , G. Schreer , & S. Davis (Eds.), Handbook of sexuality-related measures (pp. 106-108). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Donovan, D. , Marlatt, G. , & Salzberg, P. (1983). Drinking behavior, personality factors and high-risk driving. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 44, 395-428.

Gidycz, C. , Hanson, K. , & Layman, M. (1995). A prospective analysis of the relationships among sexual assault experiences. Psychology of Women Quarterly , 17, 151-168.

Gray, M. , Litz, B. , Wang, J. , & Lombardo, T. (2004). Psychometric properties of the Life Events Checklist . Assessment, 11, 330-341.

Kessler, R. , Sonnega, A. , Bromet, E. , Hughes, M. , & Nelson, C. (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychology, 52, 1048-1060.

Kilpatrick, D. , Acierno, R. , Resnick, H. , Saunders, B. , & Best, C. (1997). A 2-year longitudinal analysis of the relationships between violent assault and substance use in women. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 834-847.

Koss, M. , & Dinero, T. (1989). Discriminant analysis of risk factors for sexual victimization among a national sample of college women. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 242-250.

10.

Messman-Moore, T. , & Long, P. (2002). The role of childhood sexual abuse sequelae in the sexual revictimization of women: An empirical review and theoretical reformation . Clinical Psychology Review, 23, 537-571.

11.

Saunders, J. , Aasland, O. , Babor, T. , de la Fuente, J. , & Grant, M. (1993). Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO Collaborative Project on Early Detection of Persons with Harmful Alcohol Consumption-II. Addiction, 88, 791-804.

12.

Shapiro, B. , & Schwarz, J. (1997). Date rape: Its relationship to trauma symptoms and sexual self-esteem. Journal of Interpersonal Violence , 12, 407-419.

13.

Siegel, J. , Golding, J. , Stein, J. , Burnam, M. , & Sorenson, S. (1990). Reactions to sexual assault: A community study . Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5, 229-246.

14.

Stewart, S. (1996). Alcohol abuse in individuals exposed to trauma: A critical review. Psychological Bulletin, 120, 83-112.

15.

Testa, M. , & Dermen, K. (1999). The differential correlates of sexual coercion and rape. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14, 548-561.

16.

Ullman, S.E. (2003). A critical review of field studies on the link of alcohol and adult sexual assault in women. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 8, 471-486.

17.

Van Berlo, W. , & Ensink, B. (2000). Problems with sexuality after sexual assault. Annual Review of Sex Research, 11, 235-257.

18.

Wilson, G. , Brick, J. , Adler, J. , Cocco, K. , & Breslin, C. (1989). Alcohol and anxiety reduction in female social drinkers. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 50, 226-235.