Trafficking and Prostitution Reconsidered: New Perspectives on Migration, Sex Work, and Human Rightsby Kamala Kempadoo, editor, with Jyoti Sanghera and Bandana Pattanaik

Yes, It’s that Common and Yes, It’s that Bad: An Estimation of the Prevalence and Psychological Correlates of Rape and Sexual Assault in College Women

“…These results support our second hypothesis, that women in our sample who reported a history of sexual assault would endorse poorer mental health outcomes than those who did not. While we cannot assume causation, these findings are in line with research that suggests sexual assault is capable of contributing to mental health consequences and severe emotional distress (Carey et al, 2018; Rothman et al, 2021; Whisnant, 2017). These findings can be added to the growing defense against rape myths that are capable of perpetuating rape culture.…”

“…Sexual assaults are rarely committed by strangers . Nine out of 10 rapes are committed by someone the victim knows, such as a boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, friend, or acquaintance, meaning that many victims are forced to continually interact with their rapist (Fischer, 2000; Whisnant, 2017).…”

“…Feelings of shame and disgrace are also common among sexual assault victims (Whisnant, 2017). The influence of sexual assault on survivors can be traumatizing, with rape victims making up the largest proportion of those with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Foa & Rothbaum, 1998).…”

“…In addition, victims of sexual assault are 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol and 26 times more likely to abuse drugs than those who have not been sexually assaulted. The ability to maintain healthy relationships can suffer as well, as it is common for victims of sexual violence to struggle with sexual relationships following the assault, sometimes for years (Whisnant, 2017).…”