title: To whom do college women confide following sexual assault? A prospective study of predictors of sexual assault disclosure and social reactions.
abstract: A prospective methodology was used to explore predictors of sexual assault disclosure among college women, identify who women tell about sexual victimization, and examine the responses of informal support providers (N = 374). Women most often confided in a female peer. Increased coping via seeking emotional support, strong attachments, and high tendency to disclose stressful information predicted adolescent sexual assault disclosure and disclosure over the 7-month interim. Less acquaintance with the perpetrator predicted disclosure over the follow-up, including experiences of revictimization. Victim and perpetrator alcohol use at the time of the assault also predicted disclosure over the follow-up. Implications are presented.
authors.affiliation: Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. lindsay.m.orchowski.03@alum.dartmouth.org
authors.forename: Lindsay M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Orchowski
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gidycz
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D057237:Criminals; D030881:Disclosure; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011902:Rape; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult