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Recalde-Esnoz I, Prego-Meleiro P, Montalvo G, Del Castillo H. Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault: A Systematic Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2024; 25:1814-1825. [PMID: 37650508 DOI: 10.1177/15248380231195877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Since the last two decades, the scientific community has made an effort to analyze drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA). However, a lack of understanding remains about the DFSA problem, particularly concerning the opportunistic variant. Facing this situation, a systematic review of the term DFSA is carried out from its first appearance in the scientific databases consulted (Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed) to the current day. The search resulted in 773 publications, reduced to a final study sample composed of 19 articles. Eligible studies for this review had to meet certain inclusion criteria, in addition to providing information on DFSA prevalence, DFSA victim profile, DFSA offender profile, involved drugs, or contextual information about the assault. The results demonstrated that the assailants are men, who mostly know victims before the assault. The victims are young women under 30 years old. Alcohol is the drug involved in most DFSA cases, prevailing a voluntary use. Most assaults occur in private spaces, particularly the aggressors' own homes. Furthermore, there is a detected need for a standard definition of DFSA to allow the different actors involved in dealing with sexual violence to work effectively together, and, at the same time, it is detected that the available studies overrepresent proactive DFSA and underestimate opportunism, the most common modus operandi involved in DFSA cases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pablo Prego-Meleiro
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
- Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
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Harris C, Ullman SE. Social Reactions to Disclosures of Multiple-Perpetrator Sexual Assault: Do Number of Offenders Matter? JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241245378. [PMID: 38605582 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241245378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Sexual assault (SA) victimization is a prevalent issue both in the U.S. and globally. Although SA victimization is usually perpetrated by a single-perpetrator, multiple-perpetrator sexual assaults (MPSAs) also occur. Unfortunately, there is less literature concerning MPSAs, including the well-being of survivors' post-assault. One factor that has been shown to be important in the well-being of SA survivors' post-assault are the social reactions survivors receive from others following disclosure. The current study sought to compare social reactions received by MPSA survivors to the social reactions received by single-perpetrator sexual assault (SPSA) survivors in a community sample of adult female SA survivors (N = 1,863). We examined "turning against" (TA) reactions, a type of negative social reaction in which the supporter expresses more overtly distressing reactions that focus blame on the victim. We also examined unsupportive acknowledgment reactions (UA) the second type of negative reaction in which survivors receive acknowledgment that the assault occurred but are not supported. Additionally, we examined differences in positive reactions that survivors received from their support systems. One-way Analysis of Variance showed statistically significant differences in social reactions to disclosure according to number of offenders in the SA, with MPSA survivors receiving more TA and UA negative reactions than SPSA survivors. There were no differences in positive reactions by number of offenders. Multiple regression analyses also revealed that several demographics, assault characteristics, and post-assault factors (total Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, coping, attributions of self-blame) were related to the social reactions received by MPSA survivors post-assault. Implications and recommendations for support providers are discussed.
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Lou Y, Wang T, Li H, Hu TY, Xie X. Blame others but hurt yourself: blaming or sympathetic attitudes toward victims of COVID-19 and how it alters one's health status. Psychol Health 2023:1-22. [PMID: 37861187 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2023.2269400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study explored the relationship between blame/sympathy and blamer's/sympathizer's perceived health status. DESIGN We recruited participants via an online survey platform. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study using data (N = 3304, Mage = 28.22, SDage = 7.92, and 39.3% female) collected from 30 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions of China on February 3, 2020. Study 2 used the daily diary method collecting data from February 4 to 9, 2020. Sample (N = 2456, Mage = 28.49, SDage = 7.49, and 39.4% were female) was obtained by inviting participants in Study 1 on the same platform. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reported health status and life satisfaction. RESULTS In Study 1, blame was negatively associated with perceived health status, while sympathy was positively associated with it. Negative emotions and risk perception are the underlying mechanisms, but neither of them has effects on the relationship between sympathy and perceived health status. Study 2 replicated these results using multilevel analysis. CONCLUSION The results highlight the importance of people's attitudes on perceived health status. While sympathy is positively related to perceived health status, blaming has a negative association with perceived health status. Negative emotions and risk perceptions are the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Lou
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianhong Wang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Haihong Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tian-Yi Hu
- College of Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaofei Xie
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Chung JB, Yeon D, Kim MK. Characteristics of victim blaming related to COVID-19 in South Korea. Soc Sci Med 2023; 320:115668. [PMID: 36640702 PMCID: PMC9827734 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the characteristics of the victim-blaming tendency of patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and the worry of being blamed because of COVID-19 infection. This study utilized two methodologies based on the theory of defensive attribution and information processing. First, a media analysis was conducted to determine the characteristics of the two representative COVID-19 victim blaming cases (the Itaewon Club case and the Omicron-infected pastor case). The results show that from the viewpoint of defensive attribution theory, the victim blaming of patients infected with COVID-19 is related to social identity and moral violations committed by the patients. The Korean public emphasized their social identity and believed that the patients were different from them from an ego-defensive viewpoint. Second, we conducted three longitudinal online panel surveys (N1 = 1569; N2 = 1037; N3 = 833). The samples were selected by stratified random sampling based on sex, age, and 17 metropolitan regions in Korea. The results showed that as the number of COVID-19 cases increased, the respondents' level of risk perception decreased significantly. As the information processing theory explains, people who are familiar with the frequent risks of COVID-19 are less worried about being blamed by others. Meanwhile, the regression analysis found that victim blaming of the pastor was significantly related to the respondent's religion. We can conclude that the Korean people may blame the victims of COVID-19 because they believe that the victims are very different from an ego-defensive viewpoint. Furthermore, the trust variable appeared to be important: the more the respondents trusted the government, the more they blamed the victims of COVID-19. We term this phenomenon the "trust paradox."
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Bum Chung
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dahye Yeon
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Kyu Kim
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
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Raj A, Molnar J, Surya S, DiGirolamo S, Christian CW, Lavelle JM, Wood JN. Characterizing Multiple Perpetrator Sexual Assaults in the Adolescent Female Population. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2022; 35:659-661. [PMID: 35760285 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpag.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE To determine whether differences exist between the acute presentations and post-assault needs of youth presenting to an emergency department (ED) following multiple perpetrator sexual assault (MPSA) compared with those presenting after single perpetrator sexual assault. METHODS A retrospective cohort study of all female adolescents evaluated in an urban pediatric ED between 2014 and 2021 for acute sexual assault was conducted. Demographic characteristics and assault outcomes were assessed using bivariate analyses. RESULTS Survivors of MPSA were not more likely than survivors of single perpetrator assaults to be diagnosed with an anal-genital injury or sexually transmitted infection but were more likely to re-present in the subsequent year for an emergent mental health concern (31% vs 11%, P = .001), including suicide attempt (6% vs 1%, P = .022). CONCLUSION The high rate of subsequent ED visits for mental health concerns among female adolescent survivors of MPSA highlights the need for providing specialized support to this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish Raj
- Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Jennifer Molnar
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sanjna Surya
- The Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sara DiGirolamo
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Cindy W Christian
- Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jane M Lavelle
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Joanne N Wood
- Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Reich CM, Pegel GA, Johnson AB. Are Survivors of Sexual Assault Blamed More Than Victims of Other Crimes? JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2022; 37:NP18394-NP18416. [PMID: 34376082 DOI: 10.1177/08862605211037423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although victim blaming in the context of sexual assault is often emphasized, little research has compared rates of victim blaming following sexual assault relative to other forms of victimization. This research investigated whether there is a crime-specific bias toward blaming victims of sexual assault. Victim blaming was assessed via different methods from the observer perspective in vignette-based studies, as well as survivors' accounts of social reactions they received. In Study 1, participants were asked to rate how much the survivor was to blame in three vignettes, each with a different randomized crime outcome: rape, physical assault, or theft. Study 2 assessed blame for a vignette that either ended in rape or theft, via a causal attribution statement. Study 3 asked interpersonal trauma survivors who had experienced at least two forms of victimization (i.e., sexual assault, physical assault, or theft) to report the social reactions they received following disclosure of each of these crimes. Across all three studies, victim blaming occurred following multiple forms of victimization and there was no evidence of a particular bias toward blaming survivors of sexual assault more so than other crimes. However, results of Study 3 highlight that, following sexual assault, survivors receive more silencing and stigmatizing reactions than they experienced after other crimes. Interpersonal traumas (i.e., sexual or physical assault) also resulted in more egocentric responses compared to theft. Altogether, there does not appear to be a crime-specific bias for victim blaming; however, crime-specific bias is apparent for some other, potentially understudied, social reactions. Implications of these findings highlight the value of victim blaming education and prevention efforts through trauma-informed services and outreach following victimization. Furthermore, service providers and advocates might especially seek to recognize and prevent silencing and stigmatizing reactions following sexual assault disclosures.
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de la Torre Laso J, Rodríguez-Díaz JM. The relationship between attribution of blame and the perception of resistance in relation to victims of sexual violence. Front Psychol 2022; 13:868793. [PMID: 36092096 PMCID: PMC9455198 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.868793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have examined victim blaming in rape scenarios. However, there is limited research on the analysis of the perception of blame when two or more perpetrators are involved. The present article explores the perception of blame in cases involving rape based on the level of resistance shown by the victim and the presence of one or more perpetrators. A study was carried out involving 351 university students who responded to a survey after reading a hypothetical assault scenario. Six situations were established where the victim showed either low or high resistance, depending on whether the resistance was verbal or physical and verbal, and in the presence of one or two male perpetrators. It is expected that perpetrators are more culpable when acting in groups and that less resistance from the victim leads to greater attribution of blame. The results confirm that more blame is attributed to the perpetrators when they act in groups than when they act alone. Likewise, women consider the victim generally exerts greater resistance and this variable influences the attribution of greater blame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús de la Torre Laso
- Department of Social Psychology and Antropology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- *Correspondence: Jesús de la Torre Laso,
| | - Juan M. Rodríguez-Díaz
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Fundamental Physics and Mathematics (IUFFyM), Faculty of Science, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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Torre-Laso JDL. ¿Por qué se Cometen Agresiones Sexuales en Grupo? Una Revisión de las Investigaciones y Propuestas Teóricas. ANUARIO DE PSICOLOGÍA JURÍDICA 2020. [DOI: 10.5093/apj2019a18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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