Since the early 1990s, there has been an increase in scholarly work and theoretical writing on the topic of sexual revictimization--particularly of women. The foundation for this work was set earlier when it was noted that rape and sexual assault were traumatic, more widespread than anyone could ever imagine, and many adult rape victims had…

The purpose of the study was to assess sexual assault survivors' nondisclosure motivations, including stigma threat, and their impact on revictimization risk. The authors describe data from a prospective study of 144 female, undergraduate sexual assault survivors, most of whom had been assaulted by acquaintances and only one of whom had officially…

The current study followed women who participated in a sexual assault risk reduction program and a wait-list control group for 4 months. Those women in both groups who reported being revictimized (N = 147) were assessed to determine the effect of program participation on psychological distress. Intervention group participants reported a…

The present study prospectively explored the predictors of resistance strategies to a sexual assault situation. Participants were assessed at the beginning of an academic quarter on a number of variables, including past history of sexual victimization, perceived risk of sexual victimization, and intentions to use specific types of resistance…

Although script theory has been applied to sexual assault (e.g., H. Frith & C. Kitzinger, 2001; A. S. Kahn, V. A. Andreoli Mathie, & C. Torgler, 1994), women's scripts of rape have not been examined in relation to predicting sexual victimization experiences. The purpose of the current study was to examine how elements of women's sexual assault…

Despite growing evidence suggesting that women engage in verbal and physical dating aggression, there is a dearth of research examining the predictors of women's engagement in these behaviors. Utilizing a college sample, the purpose of the current study was to explore women's perpetration of dating aggression within the context of victimization…

This study assessed college women's reactions to participating in sexual assault research. Women with sexual victimization histories reported more negative emotional reactions than nonvictimized women, but also greater benefits. Benefits to research participation outweighed costs for both women with and without sexual victimization histories.…

The current study extends the development and evaluation of an existing and previously evaluated sexual assault risk reduction program with a self-defense component for college women (N = 300). The program protocol was revised to address psychological barriers to responding assertively to risky dating situations, and a placebo-control group was…

The purpose of the current study was to examine how women's intentions, as well as psychological and situational factors, predicted the actual use of resistance tactics in response to a sexual assault situation over a 2-month follow-up period. Twenty-eight percent of the 378 undergraduate women who participated at the baseline assessment and…

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a sexual assault risk-reduction program that included a physical self-defense component for college women ("N"=500). Program group women significantly increased their protective behaviors over the 6-month follow-up period compared to the waiting-list control group. However, there were no significant…

Objective: We investigated the possible reciprocal relationship between victimization experiences and psychological functioning by assessing abuse experiences in childhood, adolescence, and during a 2-month follow-up period. Method: At the beginning of the study (Time 1), abuse histories, trauma and depressive symptoms, and interpersonal…

Investigations of physical assault have found that a substantial number of women have been victimized within the context of a dating relationship. The present study examined a wide range of interpersonal, attitudinal, personality, past history, and demographic variables for 308 college women in order to understand what factors differentiate women…

The sexual victimization experiences of 677 college women were correlated with child and adolescent victimization, family and psychological adjustment, alcohol use, interpersonal functioning, and sexual behavior. Analyses indicated that the chances of being victimized increased with greater severity of previous victimization. (SLD)

Conducts a prospective analysis of sexual assault for 857 college women to assess pathways through which victimization experiences become linked. History of child and adolescent sexual victimization experiences was determined for adult victims and nonvictims. Results indicate that early sexual victimization is a risk factor for adult…

Evaluated sexual assault prevention program in which 181 female college students participated and 165 female students served as controls. Program was effective in decreasing incidence of sexual assault among women without sexual assault history but was not effective among women with sexual assault history. Program led to decrease in dating…