Case illustrations of negative sexual experiences among university women in Japan: victimization disclosure and reactions of the confidant.
A retrospective study of negative sexual experiences (NSEs) was conducted among 532 Japanese university women. More than one third of the respondents reported having experienced at least one NSE, and two thirds were victimized by strangers. When the woman knew the perpetrator well, the NSE was more likely to be repeated. One sixth of victims did not disclose the incident. Older children disclosed incidents more frequently than did younger children. Women in the total disclosure group disclosed the incidents more quickly than did those in the partial disclosure group. Women victimized by strangers were more likely to disclose the incident completely. Less than 10% of women were disappointed with the reaction of the first-disclosure receiver. Unlike results obtained in previous studies, the victims did not necessarily regard it negatively when the incident was viewed less seriously or they were criticized by first-disclosure receivers. On the other hand, instrumental support was not always supportive.
Uji
Masayo
M
Department of Clinical Behavioural Sciences, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, (Psychological Medicine), Honjo, Kumamoto, Japan. ujimasayo@excite.co.jp
Shono
Masahiro
M
Shikai
Noriko
N
Kitamura
Toshinori
T
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003219:Confidentiality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008016:Life Change Events; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014495:Universities