title: Victim-offender relationship and sexual assault.
abstract: The effect of the victim-offender sexual assault relationship on women's psychological symptomatology was examined in a randomized community survey. Fourteen and one-half percent of women (N = 240) experienced a sexual assault in adulthood. Assaults committed by strangers, acquaintances, and intimates were compared using both chi-square and two-way analyses of variance. Few differences were found in sexual assault experiences according to the victim-offender relationship. Offender use of violence showed a curvilinear relationship with degree of closeness of the victim-offender relationship, whereas victim resistance did not vary according to the victim-offender relationship. Analyses of psychological symptom measures showed that sexual distress was more common for women attacked by intimates, fear/anxiety was more common for women assaulted by strangers and depression did not vary according to the victim-offender relationship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ullman
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011902:Rape / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence