ERIC Number: EJ733214
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Dec
Pages: 11
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0361-6843
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An Exploratory Study of Rape Survivors' Prescription Drug Use as a Means of Coping with Sexual Assault
Sturza, Marisa L.; Campbell, Rebecca
Psychology of Women Quarterly, v29 n4 p353-363 Dec 2005
In this study we examined rape survivors' post assault use of prescription drugs, including sedatives, tranquilizers, and antidepressants. In a community-based sample of 102 sexual assault survivors, 44% had used prescription drugs post rape. Consistent with prior research on alcohol as a postassault coping mechanism, the current study found evidence that some women were "self-medicating." Fourteen percent of the women who had used prescription drugs post rape did so without a doctor's prescription and 50% obtained them through their physicians without disclosing the assault. Most of these women did not disclose the assault to their physicians because they feared how they would respond. For the remaining 36% of women using prescription drugs, there was evidence of the "medicalization" of rape. These victims disclosed the assaults to their doctors, who in many cases responded by giving them a prescription for medication, which made many of the survivors feel blamed and silenced. Implications for improving health care are discussed.
Descriptors: Rape, Victims of Crime, Narcotics, Substance Abuse, Self Disclosure (Individuals), Physician Patient Relationship, Physicians, Coping, Drug Use, Females, Substance Abuse, Drinking
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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