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Sexual violence has been associated with a number of mental health and behavioural problems in adolescence and adulthood. Sexual violence by an intimate partner aggravates the effects of physical violence on mental health.

• In one population-based study, the prevalence of symptoms or signs suggestive of a psychiatric disorder was 33% in women with a history of sexual abuse as adults, 15% in women with a history of physical violence by an intimate partner and 6% in non-abused women (1)

Abused women reporting experiences of forced sex are at significantly greater risk of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder than non-abused women. Post-traumatic stress disorder after rape is more likely if there is injury during the rape, or a history of depression or alcohol abuse.(2)

A study of adolescents in France also found a relationship between having been raped and current sleep difficulties, depressive symptoms, somatic complaints, tobacco consumption and behavioural problems such as aggressive behaviour, theft and truancy.(3)

In the absence of trauma counselling, negative psychological effects have been known to persist for at least a year following a rape, while physical health problems and symptoms tend to decrease over such a period. Even with counselling, up to 50% of women retain symptoms of stress. (4)

Excerpted from the World Report on Violence and Health, WHO (2002)

References

1. Mullen et al Impact of sexual and physical abuse on womens mental health. Lancet 1988 i:841-845
2. Acierno et al Risk factors for rape, physical assault and post-trauumatic stress disorder in women: examination of differential multivariate relationships. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 199, 13:541-563
3. Choquet et al Self-reported health and behavioral problems among adolescent victims of rape in France:results of a cross-sectional survey. Child Abuse & Neglect, 1997, 21:823-832.
4. Foa et al, A comparison of exposure therapy, stress innoculation training and their combination for reducing post-traumatic stress disorder in female assault victims. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 1999,67:194-200. Tarrier et al Cognative therapy or imaginal exposure in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder:12 month follow-up. British Journal of Psychiatry, 1999, 175:571-575. Kippatrick et al, Rape in America:a a report to the nation. National Victim Center 1992

• The Psychological Consequences of Sexual Trauma, by Nicole P. Yuan, Mary P. Koss, and Mirto Stone (March 2006)
• Childhood Sex Abuse Increases Risk for Drug Dependence in Adult Women. Patrick Zickler, The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2002
• Substance Abuse, High-Risk Sex, and Sexual Violence: What's the Connection? Rowan Frost, Southern Arizona Center against Sexual Assault, 2002

• Mental health consequences of intimate partner abuse: a multidimensional assessment of four different forms of abuse. Mechanic MB, Weaver TL, Resick PA. Violence Against Women; 14(6): 634-54. 2008
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• Unemployment Among Women: Examining the Relationship of Physical and Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Kimerling R, Alvarez J, Pavao J, et al J Interpers Violence. 2008
• Posttraumatic stress disorder, gender, and problem profiles in substance dependent patients. Peirce JM, Kindbom KA, Waesche MC, Yuscavage AS, Brooner RK. Subst Use Misuse; 43(5): 596-611. 2008
  
• Being delivered: spirituality in survivors of sexual violence. Knapik GP, Martsolf DS, Draucker CB. Issues Ment Health Nurs. Apr;29(4):335-50. 2008
• A randomized clinical trial to dismantle components of cognitive processing therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in female victims of interpersonal violence. Resick PA, Galovski TE, Uhlmansiek MO, et al J Consult Clin Psychol. Apr;76(2):243-58. 2008
• Intimate Partner Violence and Miscarriage: Examination of the Role of Physical and Psychological Abuse and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Morland LA, Leskin GA, Block CR, Campbell JC, Friedman MJ. J Interpers Violence 2008
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• A prospective assessment of auditory startle alterations in rape and physical assault survivors. Griffin MG. J Traum Stress; 21(1): 91-99. 2008
• Ethnicity and Risk for Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Following Intimate Partner Violence: Prevalence and Predictors in European American and African American Women. Lilly MM, Graham-Bermann SA. J Interpers Violence 2008
• Violence against women by their intimate partner and common mental disorders. Ludermir AB, Schraiber LB, D'Oliveira AF, França-Junior I, Jansen HA. Soc Sci Med; 66(4): 1008-18. 2008
  
• Violence against women by their intimate partner and common mental disorders. Ludermir, A. B., L. B. Schraiber, et al., Social Science & Medicine 66(4): 1008-1018. 2008: Abstract.
• Women's experiences of male-perpetrated sexual assault by sexual orientation. Long SM, Ullman SE, Long LM, Mason GE, Starzynski LL. Violence Vict; 22(6): 684-701. 2007
• Factors predicting the type of tactics used to resist sexual assault: A prospective study of college women. Turchik JA, Probst DR, Chau M, et al J Consult Clin Psychol. Aug;75(4):605-14. 2007
• Psychopathological profile of battered women according to age Sarasua B, Zubizarreta I, Echeburúa E, Del Corral P. Psicothema. Aug;19(3):459-66 2007
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• Coping among victims of relationship abuse: a longitudinal examination. Taft CT, Resick PA, Panuzio J, Vogt DS, Mechanic MB. Violence Vict; 22(4): 408-18. 2007
• Sexual and physical abuse history and adult sexual risk behaviors: Relationships among women and potential mediators, Heather Littleton, Carmen Radecki Breitkopf and Abbey Berenson, Child Abuse & Neglect, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 12 July 2007
• Sexual Assault Disclosure in Relation to Adolescent Mental Health: Results from the National Survey of Adolescents.  Broman-Fulks JJ, Ruggiero KJ, Hanson RF, Smith DW, Resnick HS, Kilpatrick DG, Saunders BE. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol; 36(2): 260-6, 2007 
• Early predictors of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder in assault survivors.  Kleim B, Ehlers A, Glucksman E. Psychol Med 2007
• Battered woman syndrome: empirical findings.  Walker LE. Ann N Y Acad Sci; 1087: 142-57. 2006