From the Margins to the Center: Ethnic Minority Women and the Mental Health Effects of Sexual Assault

From the Margins to the Center: Ethnic Minority Women and the Mental Health Effects of Sexual Assault

Sexual assault

Thema Bryant-Davis, Heewon Chung, Saquita Tillman

Trauma, Violence, & Abuse

Vol. 10

No. 4

2009

SAGE Publications, Inc.

Journal article

English

15248380

Restricted Access

The trauma of sexual assault is heightened for many women by the interlocking experience of societal traumas such as racism, sexism, and poverty. The mental health effects of sexual assault are mediated by race and ethnicity. The investigators explore the experiences of African American, Asian American, Latina, and Native American female survivors of sexual assault. The sociohistorical context of intergenerational trauma in the lives of ethnic minorities is a part of the context for the contemporary experience of sexualized violence. Racial and ethnic dynamics related to sexual assault prevalence, mental health effects, and disclosure are examined. Literature related to cultural beliefs, community attitudes, and perceived social support in relation to sexualized violence are also reviewed. Finally, practice, research, and policy implications are discussed.

Maria Qureshi