Abstract:
Approximately one in five women in the United States will experience unwanted sexual contact during her lifetime. Relative to survivors of other traumatic events, survivors of sexual assault have an increased likelihood of meeting criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and higher levels of PTSD symptom severity. Recent research has highlighted the importance of social support – particularly within the context of intimate relationships – in post-trauma functioning and recovery. To date, however, the vast majority of this research has focused exclusively on male combat veterans and their female partners.
