The process and context of help-seeking after sexual assault

Sexual assault is a common experience that has been associated with a number of problematic psychosocial outcomes. To cope with the trauma of sexual assault and mitigate these negative outcomes, survivors may reach out for services and support. However, the responses that they receive vary in their quality and helpfulness. While a theoretical model of help-seeking from the sociology literature—the network episode model—calls attention to aspects of the social context in which help-seeking occurs and the sequence of steps that help-seekers may undertake, such a perspective is missing from the literature on help-seeking after sexual assault. Better understanding the process and context of these help-seeking experiences may inform strategies to improve help-seeking experiences for survivors. The current study involves mixed-method data collection and analysis from a large sample of undergraduates in order to address this gap in the literature. We investigated a) how the social contexts surrounding help-seeking are associated with whom is contacted for help and b) the association between help-seeking experiences and the likelihood of ending help-seeking. Results suggest that the structure of social networks (a measure of social context) is important to consider when understanding to whom survivors disclose sexual assault. In a mixed effects logistic regression, structural characteristics of the network (e.g., degree centrality, number of components) were significant predictors of the proportion of network members told as well as which network members received disclosures, above and beyond variables commonly associated with disclosure likelihood (e.g., social support, self-blame), which complement qualitative findings that characteristics of social networks can both facilitate and place limits on disclosure. Further, in an investigation of predictors of help-seeking dropout, we identified associations between characteristics of each contact with a responder (e.g., the degree to which responders communicated rape myths) and survivors’ likelihood of dropping out of help-seeking. After presenting these analyses, we summarize and interpret the results in light of the network episode model

College students’ perceptions of alcohol’s role in disclosures of sexual assault and intimate partner violence

Objective: Much is known about how alcohol increases the risk of sexual assault or intimate partner violence victimization during college. This research qualitatively explores perceptions about how alcohol influences disclosures about these events to informal supports. Participants: Participants included college students who received a disclosure wherein they or the survivor were drinking during the disclosure (n = 81). Methods: Responses were coded with regard to who was drinking and whether the effect of drinking during the disclosure was perceived as positive, negative, mixed, or neutral/none. Results: Participants perceived alcohol to have both positive (e.g., increasing the likelihood of discussing difficult topics) and negative (e.g., cognitive impairment increased negative emotions) effects on disclosures. Conclusion: Prevention and intervention efforts should identify targeted strategies (e.g., remembering one or two easy and helpful phrases; revisiting the topic again while sober) to help survivors and disclosure recipients have constructive conversations in the presence of alcohol

Telling a trusted adult: Factors associated with the likelihood of disclosing child sexual abuse prior to and during a forensic interview

Background: Many child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors delay or withhold disclosure of their abuse, even when presenting for formal investigation interviews. Objective: This study examined factors that relate to the CSA disclosure process. Participants and Settings: Participants were CSA victims (N = 1,732) presenting to a Child Advocacy Center (CAC) for a forensic interview. Method: We tested a structural model to predict disclosure before and during a forensic interview using secondary data analysis. Results: Youth were less likely to disclose before a forensic interview if they witnessed domestic violence (β = -.233, p \u3c .05). Caregivers were less likely to believe the abuse allegation if the alleged perpetrator resided in the home β = -.386, p \u3c .05) and more likely to believe if the youth made a prior disclosure (β = .286, p \u3c .05). Youth were more likely to disclose during the forensic interview if they were older (β=.388, p \u3c .05), if the alleged perpetrator resided in their home (β=.209, p \u3c .05), if they disclosed prior (β=.254, p \u3c .05), and if their caregiver believed the allegation (β=.213, p \u3c . 05). The alleged perpetrator residing in the youth’s home (β=-0.082, p\u3c.05) and making a prior disclosure (β=0.060, p\u3c.05) were both indirectly associated with forensic interview disclosure through caregiver belief. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of the family context and caregiver belief in the disclosure process for youth involved in formal CSA investigations

Sexual assault, sexual abuse, and harassment: Understanding the mental health impact and providing care for survivors: An International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Briefing Paper

Recent events including revelations of the systematic cover-up of widespread childhood sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, sexual assault and harassment accusations involving many prominent individuals in the entertainment and other industries in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan, global coverage of cases of violent rape and rape-murder of girls and young women in India, and the #metoo movement, have served to increase public consciousness internationally regarding the pervasiveness of various forms of sexual victimization worldwide. In response, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) commissioned this briefing paper to inform its membership, policymakers, and global stakeholders about the prevalence, impact, and barriers faced by survivors of various forms of sexual victimization including attempted and completed rape, sexual abuse in childhood, and sexual harassment in workplace and educational settings. This paper outlines the research evidence regarding (1) the prevalence of different forms of sexual victimization worldwide including childhood sexual abuse, various forms of sexual assault in adulthood, and sexual harassment in workplace and educational settings, (2) the prevalence of various forms of sexual victimization among several marginalized groups, (3) the psychological, behavioral, and physical health impacts of sexual victimization in childhood and adulthood, (4) evidence-based interventions for survivors of sexual victimization, and (5) barriers to treatment seeking commonly faced by survivors of different forms of sexual victimization. Recommendations are also made in the areas of policy, practice, research, and for professional organizations. Research conducted throughout the world continues to document the alarmingly high prevalence of various forms of sexual victimization throughout the lifespan, including the sexual abuse of children, sexual assault of adults, and sexual harassment within individuals’ place of employment and in educational settings. Although all individuals are vulnerable to experiences of sexual victimization, sexual assault, abuse, and harassment are gendered crimes, such that women and girls are more likely to be victims of these forms of sexual violence. In addition, members of a number of marginalized groups face substantially increased vulnerability to sexual victimization. These include individuals with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, homeless individuals, individuals engaging in various kinds of sex work, and members of indigenous populations. Further, the impact of sexual victimization is both broad and targeted, with various forms of sexual victimization, including experiences of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in adulthood, associated with a host of negative outcomes including the development of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, eating disordered pathology, suicidality, dissociation, and high risk sexual behaviors. Further, sexual victimization is associated with risk for a number of negative physical health outcomes including obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, chronic pelvic pain, and reproductive health issues. There exists a robust evidence base supporting the efficacy of psychological treatment for PTSD symptomology among adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault. Of extant treatments, cognitive-behavioral based treatments have the strongest evidence for their efficacy. Similarly, cognitive-behavioral treatments, such as trauma-focused CBT, have demonstrated efficacy in treating PTSD and depressive symptomology among children and adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse. There is also some evidence supporting the efficacy of psychopharmacological treatment in reducing PTSD symptomology among adult survivors of sexual abuse or assault. Conversely, there is far more limited research examining the efficacy of psychological treatments for PTSD in other cultural contexts, with the vast majority of research involving United States samples. There is also much less evidence regarding the impact of trauma-focused treatments on other outcomes besides PTSD symptomology and depression, or examining how to treat additional behavioral and mental health issues among survivors of sexual victimization. Finally, almost no research has evaluated the efficacy of psychological treatments for individuals who have experienced sexual harassment in their workplace. Further, research documents that survivors of various forms of sexual victimization often face substantial barriers to disclosing their experience or seeking formal help. These barriers include issues related to defining the experience as a victimization, concerns about not being believed or taken seriously, and feelings of stigma, shame, or embarrassment. Other barriers include concerns about whether the experience will be reported to authorities, mistrust of formal support systems, and prior negative experiences following disclosure of a sexual victimization experience. Many survivors also may be unaware of services that are available to them, may believe that available services are not appropriate for them, and may also face substantial barriers to accessing the care that is available, and available care may be inadequate for addressing their needs in many parts of the world. Finally, it is important to note that many individuals who experience sexual victimization face ongoing issues related to poverty, socioeconomic disadvantage, ongoing personal and community violence, and belong to marginalized groups. Given the prevalence, impact, and substantial barriers to care faced by individuals who experience sexual victimization, including childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, it is clear that concerted, international, and collaborative efforts involving policymakers, researchers, clinicians, professional organizations, and other global stakeholders is imperative

The Sariçiçek Howardite Fall in Turkey: Source Crater of HED Meteorites on Vesta and İmpact Risk of Vestoids

The Sariçiçek howardite meteorite shower consisting of 343 documented stones occurred on 2 September 2015 in Turkey and is the first documented howardite fall. Cosmogenic isotopes show that Sariçiçek experienced a complex cosmic ray exposure history, exposed during ~12–14 Ma in a regolith near the surface of a parent asteroid, and that an ~1 m sized meteoroid was launched by an impact 22 ± 2 Ma ago to Earth (as did one third of all HED meteorites). SIMS dating of zircon and baddeleyite yielded 4550.4 ± 2.5 Ma and 4553 ± 8.8 Ma crystallization ages for the basaltic magma clasts. The apatite U-Pb age of 4525 ± 17 Ma, K-Ar age of ~3.9 Ga, and the U,Th-He ages of 1.8 ± 0.7 and 2.6 ± 0.3 Ga are interpreted to represent thermal metamorphic and impact-related resetting ages, respectively. Petrographic, geochemical and O-, Cr- and Tiisotopic studies confirm that Sariçiçek belongs to the normal clan of HED meteorites. Petrographic observations and analysis of organic material indicate a small portion of carbonaceous chondrite material in the Sariçiçek regolith and organic contamination of the meteorite after a few days on soil. Video observations of the fall show an atmospheric entry at 17.3 ± 0.8 kms-1 from NW, fragmentations at 37, 33, 31 and 27 km altitude, and provide a pre-atmospheric orbit that is the first dynamical link between the normal HED meteorite clan and the inner Main Belt. Spectral data indicate the similarity of Sariçiçek with the Vesta asteroid family (V-class) spectra, a group of asteroids stretching to delivery resonances, which includes (4) Vesta. Dynamical modeling of meteoroid delivery to Earth shows that the complete disruption of a ~1 km sized Vesta family asteroid or a ~10 km sized impact crater on Vesta is required to provide sufficient meteoroids ≤4 m in size to account for the influx of meteorites from this HED clan. The 16.7 km diameter Antonia impact crater on Vesta was formed on terrain of the same age as given by the 4He retention age of Sariçiçek. Lunar scaling for crater production to crater counts of its ejecta blanket show it was formed ~22 Ma ago

Ensuring transparency and minimization of methodologic bias in preclinical pain research:PPRECISE considerations

Acknowledgements The authors thank Allison Lin, Dan Mellon, and LiSheng Chen for their help throughout the process of writing this article.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Defining ourselves:Personal bioinformation as a tool of narrative self-conception

Where ethical or regulatory questions arise about an individual’s interests in accessing bioinformation about herself (such as findings from screening or health research), the value of this information has traditionally been construed in terms of its clinical utility. It is increasingly argued, however, that the “personal utility” of findings should also be taken into account. This article characterizes one particular aspect of personal utility: that derived from the role of personal bioinformation in identity construction. The suggestion that some kinds of information are relevant to identity is not in itself new. However, the account outlined here seeks to advance the debate by proposing a conception of the relationship between bioinformation and identity that does not depend on essentialist assumptions and applies beyond the narrow genetic contexts in which identity is customarily invoked. The proposal is that the identity-value of personal bioinformation may be understood in terms of its instrumental role in the construction of our narrative identities, specifically that its value lies in helping us to develop self-narratives that support us in navigating our embodied existences. I argue that this narrative conception provides useful insights that are pertinent to the ethical governance of personal bioinformation. It illuminates a wider range of ethical considerations in relation to information access; it accounts for variations in the utility of different kinds of information; and it highlights that the context in which information is conveyed can be as important as whether it is disclosed at all. These arguments are illustrated using an example drawn from psychiatric neuroimaging research