Work

“I was just so confused, like does this even count as sexual assault?”: understanding LGBTQA+ sexual victimization, help-seeking, and mental health outcomes

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Most research on sexual victimization centers on cisgender, heterosexual experiences and pushes LGBTQA+ experiences to the margins. The current study focuses on queer experiences of sexual victimization and subsequent help-seeking behaviors and mental health outcomes. Fifteen in-depth interviews with queer identifying individuals who experienced sexual violence were conducted and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. A total of 32 incidents of sexual violence were discussed across the 15 participants. Findings indicate that negative disclosure responses from others, as well as normalizing and rationalizing experiences of sexual violence, are detrimental to help-seeking behavior. Incidents that involved sexually minoritized women and heterosexual men were met with more positive disclosure responses than incidents that occurred between two sexually minoritized women. Additionally, lesbians experienced more supportive reactions to disclosure than bisexual and queer women. Mental health professionals who were knowledgeable and experienced in both trauma and LGBTQA+ related issues had the most impact on improved health and well-being for queer survivors of sexual violence.

Source: Journal of Gender Studies

DOI: 10.1080/09589236.2023.2260323

Authors: Brooke A. de Heer, Siréne Lipschutz, Sydney Shevat

Institution: Northern Arizona University

Language: English

Topic: Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities