Sexual Victimization Outcomes and Adjustment Among Bisexual Women: A Review of the Quantitative Literature

Salim, Selime R.; McConnell, A. Alex; Messman, Terri L.

doi:10.1177/15248380211073837

Cited by 14 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…This lack of social support for bisexual men may be explained by biphobic double discrimination (Firestein, 1996). Notably, the present study did not find evidence of increased minority stress or higher levels of symptom severity among bisexual women, as has been found in much of the previous literature (e.g., Salim et al., 2023; Sigurvinsdottir & Ullman, 2015, 2016). It is possible that the current study was underpowered to detect these effects, as bisexual women represented only around 15% of the sample.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Minority stress and mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer survivors of sexual assault

Bedford,

Trotter,

Potter

et al. 2023

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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Extant research has shown that sexual violence disproportionately affects lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals, conferring risk for the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and related mental health conditions. However, little research has focused on specific vulnerabilities among LGBTQ+‐identified sexual assault (SA) survivors (e.g., minority stress) and their associations with post‐SA psychopathology. To address this gap, we examined associations between experiences of minority stress and post‐SA psychopathology in a sample of LGBTQ+ individuals who experienced SA (N = 92) and completed a battery of self‐report measures. Results revealed significant differences in internalized stigma, community connectedness, alcohol use, and cannabis use across sexual orientation and gender modality groups, ηp2 = .08–11. Additionally, regression analyses indicated that experiences of violence and victimization were significantly associated with higher PTSS, β = .31, p = .020; anxiety, β = .39, p = .003; and alcohol use severity, β = .31, p = .027, over and above other experiences of minority stress and psychopathology risk factors. Internalized stigma was significantly associated with cannabis use severity, β =.34, p = .011. Finally, community connectedness was significantly associated with lower anxiety symptom severity, β = −.42, p = .001. Although longitudinal work is needed, findings indicate that experiences of minority stress may serve as risk or maintenance factors for post‐SA psychopathology. These results offer important considerations for future treatment approaches tailored to LGBTQ+ survivors of SA.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 71%

Minority stress and mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer survivors of sexual assault

Bedford,

Trotter,

Potter

et al. 2023

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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“…The authors posit that women who experience exacerbated stress associated with experiences of oversexualization may use substances to deal with feelings of psychological distress. Moreover, bisexual women are at heightened risk for sexual (re)victimization and coercion (Hequembourg et al, 2013; Hughes et al, 2010; López & Yeater, 2021; Salim et al, 2022). Such experiences may be linked to increased substance use as a means to cope (Kelley, Ehlke, Lewis, et al, 2018; Lorenz & Ullman, 2016; Taggart et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dimensions of binegativity differentially predict drinking to cope motivations and alcohol use severity among bisexual women.

Schulz¹,

Stamates²,

Ehlke³

et al. 2023

Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology

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Research indicates that bisexual women experience greater stigmatization and discrimination compared to lesbian women. Such oppression is described as binegativity and is associated with alcohol use among bisexual women. Specifically, previous research has suggested that bisexual women may drink to cope in an effort to self-medicate from experiences of binegativity. Although substantial research has been conducted with regard to drinking behaviors among at-risk groups, research has yet to identify which specific types of binegativity may be most predictive of drinking outcomes among bisexual women. Consequently, the present study sought to examine the predictive utility of three dimensions of binegativity: (a) sexual orientation instability (e.g., the perception of bisexuality as an illegitimate sexual orientation), (b) sexual irresponsibility (e.g., the stereotype that bisexual persons are oversexualized or sexually promiscuous), and (c) interpersonal hostility (e.g., the alienation and uncomfortability with bisexual identification), on drinking to cope motivations and alcohol use severity. Participants were 225 self-identified bisexual women between the ages of 18 and 30 years (Mean = 22.77, SD = 3.45) who participated in a larger study about health behaviors among bisexual women. Multiple regressions revealed that, compared to other binegativity dimensions, sexual irresponsibility was the strongest predictor of typical alcohol use, drinking to cope motivations, and alcohol use severity. Thus, bisexual women who are stereotyped to be sexually promiscuous are at particular risk for problematic alcohol use. Prevention and intervention efforts should target stress associated with experiences of oversexualized stigmatizations, in an effort to reduce alcohol-related risk among bisexual women. Public Health SignificanceThe present study investigated the relationship between specific facets of binegativity and various drinking behaviors among a sample of bisexual women. Findings from this study suggested that sexual irresponsibility or the oversexualized stereotype of bisexual individuals, was the most predictive of drinking behaviors. Study findings highlight oversexualized stigmatizations as an independent risk factor for problematic drinking behavior and should be targeted by efforts aimed at reducing alcoholrelated risk among bisexual women.

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“…Using data from 2010 to 2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, Chen et al (2020) found that 46.1% of bisexual women experienced rape, which was significantly higher compared to the rates reported by heterosexual (18.7%) and lesbian (24.7%) women. Based on a literature review, Salim et al (2023) concluded that bisexual women are at a significantly greater risk for sexual violence in adulthood compared to monosexual women. Notably, sexual violence has detrimental effects on survivors’ mental health (Dworkin, 2020; Dworkin et al, 2017) and sexual traumas are associated with a greater risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to other traumatic events (Dworkin et al, 2023).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, bisexual women report greater levels of PTSD symptoms following sexual assault compared to heterosexual (Sigurvinsdottir & Ullman, 2016) and lesbian women (Long et al, 2007). Thus, there is a need to identify factors that contribute to risk for PTSD among bisexual women, especially those that are unique to bisexual women (Salim et al, 2023). Self-blame and trauma-related shame are two common factors contributing to distress among sexual violence survivors (Kennedy & Prock, 2018), whereas bisexual minority stress is an additional factor unique to bisexual women (Brooks, 1981; Meyer, 2003).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trauma-Related Shame Mediates the Associations Between Self-Blame, Bisexual Minority Stress, and Rape-Related PTSD Symptoms

Salim

Bhuptani

Eshelman

et al. 2023

J Interpers Violence

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Bisexual women experience higher rates of rape and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence compared to heterosexual and lesbian women. In addition, bisexual women experience unique antibisexual stigma and minority stress, which are associated with post-trauma outcomes. The aim of the current study was to test trauma-related shame as a mechanism in the relations of self-blame and bisexual minority stress (i.e., antibisexual stigma and internalized binegativity) with rape-related PTSD symptom. The sample consisted of 192 cisgender bisexual women (ages 18–35 years) who reported an experience of rape since the age of 18. Results from path analysis conducted in Mplus indicated that trauma-related shame mediated the link between self-blame and rape-related PTSD severity, as well as the links from antibisexual stigma and internalized binegativity to rape-related PTSD severity. There was also an indirect serial effect from antibisexual stigma to internalized binegativity to shame to PTSD severity. Thus, findings highlight the mechanistic role of trauma-related shame in rape-related PTSD symptoms. We identified two risk pathways: (a) general/universal risk from self-blame about rape and shame to PTSD severity and (b) group-specific risk from bisexual minority stress and shame to PTSD severity. Results indicate that reducing trauma-related shame may be an important target to improve post-rape outcomes. Finally, stigma associated with rape and sexual violence as well as antibisexual stigma must be eradicated to improve post-trauma outcomes among bisexual survivors.

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Sexual Victimization Outcomes and Adjustment Among Bisexual Women: A Review of the Quantitative Literature

Cited by 14 publications

References 71 publications

Minority stress and mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer survivors of sexual assault

Minority stress and mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer survivors of sexual assault

Dimensions of binegativity differentially predict drinking to cope motivations and alcohol use severity among bisexual women.

Trauma-Related Shame Mediates the Associations Between Self-Blame, Bisexual Minority Stress, and Rape-Related PTSD Symptoms

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