National Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Sexually Revictimized Adolescent, College, and Adult Household-Residing Women

Abstract

Context Despite empirical links between sexual revictimization (i.e., experiencing two or more sexual assaults) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), no epidemiological studies document the prevalence of sexual revictimization and PTSD. Establishing estimates is essential to determine the scope, public health impact, and psychiatric sequelae of sexual revictimization. Objective Estimate the prevalence of sexual revictimization and PTSD among three national female samples (adolescent, college, adult household probability). Design Surveys were used to collect data from The National Women’s Study – Replication (2006; college) as well as household probability samples from the National Survey of Adolescents-Replication (2005) and the National Women’s Study-Replication (2006; household probability). Setting Households and college campuses across the U.S. Participants 1,763 adolescent girls, 2,000 college women, and 3,001 household-residing adult women. Main Outcomes Behaviorally specific questions assessed unwanted sexual acts occurring over the lifespan due to use of force, threat of force, or incapacitation via drug or alcohol use. PTSD was assessed with a module validated against the criterion standard, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Results 52.7% of victimized adolescents, 50.0% of victimized college women, and 58.8% of victimized household-residing women reported sexual revictimization. Current PTSD was reported by 20.0% of revictimized adolescents, 40.0% of revictimized college women, and 27.2% of revictimized household-residing women. Compared to non-victims, odds of meeting past 6-month PTSD were 4.3–8.2 times higher for revictimized respondents and 2.4–3.5 times higher for single victims. Conclusions Population prevalence estimates suggest that 769,000 adolescent girls, 625,000 college women, and 13.4 million women in US households reported sexual revictimization. Further, 154,000 sexually revictimized adolescents, 250,000 sexually revictimized college women, and 3.6 million sexually revictimized household women met criteria for past 6-month PTSD. Findings highlight the importance of screening for sexual revictimization and PTSD in pediatric, college, and primary care settings.

A qualitative examination of engagement with support services by victims of violent crime

“…This participant described the experience of trauma symptoms identified as outcomes of victimisation (Stimmel et al, 2014;Walsh et al, 2012), as a barrier to engagement with Victim Support, consistent with previous research (Alvidrez et al, 2008;Posick, 2014).…”

Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

“…11 This is justifiable, but given the high prevalence of revictimization in women with abuse histories, 16 it may be equally important for future studies to examine the cumulative effects of trauma on CVD. Because multiple forms of trauma often co-occur (eg, child abuse, witnessing violence, and experiencing an assault as an adult), it is possible that some women experience repeated exposure to traumas, which could create more physiological "wear and tear"…”

The Individual and Familial Risk Factors of the Adolescents Exposed to Sexual Revictimization: The First Data from Turkey*

“…In a study which examined 1915 retrospective cases, the ratio of SR was found to be 11.1% (Pittenger, 2016). In another study, the ratio of SR in female adolescents was reported to be 52.7% (Walsh, Danielson, McCauley, Saunders, Kilpatrick, & Resnick, 2012). According to the study of Humphrey and White (2000), the possibility of experiencing SA in adolescence for those who experienced SA before the age of 14, increases in 1.8 fold.…”