title: Assault history and follow-up contact of women survivors of recent sexual assault.
abstract: The purpose of this comparative descriptive study is to describe and examine differences in assault characteristics and the issues surrounding follow-up contact of women survivors of a recent sexual assault. This study identified assault characteristics: half of the assaults were by strangers; approximately one-third of the assaults occurred in the victim's home; 29% of the victims were abducted; weapons and physical force were used in over half of the cases; 63% were vaginal assaults; and 86% involved penile penetration. Three months after the assault and the initial examination, only 23% (n = 18) of the study participants could be contacted by telephone for follow-up. The study's findings provide not only data regarding the characteristics of sexual assault, but also the difficulties in contacting adult female survivors for follow-up services. Recommendations outline the importance of thorough, individualized examinations and the need for improved, timely, follow-up services for sexual assault victims.
authors.affiliation: Loewenberg School of Nursing, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38152, USA. aboykins@memphis.edu
authors.forename: Anita D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Boykins
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mynatt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011902:Rape / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*