Violence / Aggression
Rebecca R. Suzuki, M.A.
PhD Student
University of Denver
Engelwood, Colorado
Anne DePrince, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Distinguished University Professor
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado
Women face interconnected, complex needs after a sexual assault, yet rates of formal service seeking are low (DePrince et al., 2019; Fisher et al., 2003; Golding, 1999; Starzynski et al., 2005). Previous research has documented the connection between survivor health and service providers’ responses to sexual assault disclosure (Campbell et al., 2001; Greeson et al., 2016; Maier, 2008). However, it is less clear how these responses may foster further service engagement within and across systems of care. This study examined the impact of responses from formal service providers on service engagement over a three-month period. Women were recruited as part of a larger, longitudinal study examining social reactions to sexual assault disclosure (DePrince et al., 2017). Participants were 181 women ranging in age from 18 to 62 years (Mean age = 34.72 ± 11.8) who had experienced a sexual assault in the past year. In addition to understanding the role of provider responses, we also explored the impact of coping, psychological distress, and race/ethnicity on service engagement. A series of binary logistic regression analyses revealed that supportive responses from community-based providers (e.g., medical professionals, counselors) were significantly associated with community-based service engagement three months later, even after controlling for time since assault, distress, coping style, and unsupportive responses (OR = 2.57; 95% CI [1.72, 3.42]; p = 0.026). Findings suggest that community-based service providers may play an important role in helping recent sexual assault survivors access a variety of available services. Understanding the potential power of general supportive experiences to promote continuing care engagement over multiple community-based services can help guide policy and training. Ultimately, such changes could make services more useful and less burdensome for survivors, thus helping to close the gap between service need and service use. Further implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
