IMPACT OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN: A QUALITATIVE SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Women who had ever assaulted sexually encounter mental health sequelae and are in a greater risk of developing variety of diagnoses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and others. Mental health consequences closely related to characteristics of victims and assault, disclosures, help-seeking, and with the sociocultural factors in its broad meaning. Aim was to reveal different aspects in progress of spectrum of mental health disorders by thematic synthesis of qualitative literature on experiences of survivors and to reveal what are barriers to and facilitators of recovery.
The whole process of identifying data encompass two processes. A mapping exercise and an in-depth review. All remaining data was reviewed in two steps: quality assessment and data extraction. Thematic synthesis is reached by investigating descriptive themes emerged before, and answering review questions. After all, all descriptive themes were framed into ecological model to ease explanations.
After reviewing 3 databases and other reliable sources only 6 studies were revealed. All were included into further analysis. 11 subthemes and 2 themes were emerged, which were in causal relationships.
This study has revealed that survivors of sexual violence pass through several branches of understanding the fact of rape, which include characteristics of assault itself, distancing, vulnerability, neglecting problem, reaction of family and society. After appreciation of all these factors comprehension of what happened come to their minds. Whereas it comes with whole set of consequences such as the range of mental health problems, social impairment, development of coping strategies, powerlessness, indecision to disclose and help-seeking.
During analysis barriers and facilitators of recovery, such as different coping strategies, impact of disclosure to either formal or informal sources and influence of society in general were evaluated. This problem can be addressed on multiple levels. Recommendations are given.

1. Burnam, M.A., Stein, J.A., Golding, J.M., Siegel, J.M., Sorenson, S.B., Forsythe, A.B., & Telles, C.A. (1988). Sexual assault and mental disorders in a community population. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56(6), 843–850. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.843.

2. Campbell, R. (2009). Science, Social Change, and Ending Violence Against Women. Violence Against Women, 15(4), 434–439. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801208330696.

3. Campbell, R., Dworkin, E., & Cabral, G. (2009). An ecological model of the impact of sexual assault on women’s mental health. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 10(3), 225–246. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838009334456.

4. DeLoveh, H.L.M., & Cattaneo, L.B. (2017). Deciding Where to Turn: A Qualitative Investigation of College Students’ Helpseeking Decisions After Sexual Assault. American Journal of Community Psychology, 59(1–2), 65–79. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12125.

5. Duma, S. (2019). Women’s journey of recovery from sexual assault trauma: a grounded theory /.

6. Ellsberg, M., & Heise, L. (2005). Researching Violence Against Women Researching Violence Against Women: A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists. Washington DC, United States: World Health Organization, PATH.

7. García-moreno, C., Jansen, H.A.F.M., Ellsberg, M., Heise, L., & Watts, C. (2005). WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women: initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses. Geneva, Switzerland.

8. Hahm, H.C., Augsberger, A., Feranil, M., Jang, J., & Tagerman, M. (2016). The Associations Between Forced Sex and Severe Mental Health, Substance Use, and HIV Risk Behaviors Among Asian American Women. Violence against Women, 23(6), 671–691. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801216647797.

9. José dos Reis, M., Lopes, M.H., & Osis, M. (2016). ‘It’s much worse than dying’: the experiences of female victims of sexual violence. Journal of Clinical Nursing (Vol. 26). https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13247.

10. Orchowski, L.M., & Gidycz, C.A. (2012). To whom do college women confide following sexual assault? A prospective study of predictors of sexual assault disclosure and social reactions. Violence against Women, 18(3), 264–288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801212442917.

11. Padmanabhanunni, A., & Edwards, D. (2015). A Case Study of Social Cognitive Treatment of PTSD in a South African Rape Survivor: The Central Role of Case Formulation. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 24(2), 174–194. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2015.997412.

12. Rahill, G.J., Joshi, M., Lescano, C., & Holbert, D. (2014). Symptoms of PTSD in a sample of female victims of sexual violence in post-earthquake Haiti. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 232–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.067.

13. Sebaeng, J.M., Davhana-Maselesele, M., & Manyedi, E. (2016). Experiences of women who reported sexual assault at a provincial hospital, South Africa. Curationis, 39(1), e1–e7. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v39i1.1668.

14. Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8, 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45.

15. Wasco, S.M. (2003). Conceptualizing the harm done by rape: applications of trauma theory to experiences of sexual assault. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 4(4), 309–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838003256560.