College Women's Experiences With Rape Disclosure: A National Study

• NCJ Number: 245934
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2013 Pages: 486-502
• Author(s): Lisa A. Paul; Kate Walsh; Jenna L. McCauley; Kenneth J. Ruggiero; Heidi S. Resnick; Dean G. Kilpatrick
• Date Published: 2013
• Length: 17 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2005-WG-BX-0006
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Drug-Facilitated, Incapacitated, and Forcible Rape: A National Study of Prevalence and Case Characteristics Among College Students and Other Young Women

Annotation

Disclosure of a rape to informal support sources e.g., friends is a relatively common experience, but it is not well understood

Abstract

Disclosure of a rape to informal support sources e.g., friends is a relatively common experience, but it is not well understood. This study expands our limited knowledge of the characteristics and life experiences of disclosure recipients among a national sample of 2,000 female college students. Over 40% of respondents reported having received a rape disclosure, and more than two thirds of these recipients encouraged victims to formally report their rapes to the police or other authorities. Correlates of disclosure receipt and encouragement of reporting, including personal assault history, mental health history, and substance use, are presented and discussed. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage.