Sexual Assault Survivors' Engagement with Advocacy Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Overview

Journal J Community Psychol

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Health Services
Psychology

Date 2022 Feb 12

PMID 35150008

Authors

Jasmine Engleton

Rachael Goodman-Williams

McKenzie Javorka

Katie Gregory

Rebecca Campbell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Sexual assault advocates provide support to survivors as they navigate medical, legal, housing, and other complex systems. However, social distancing measures enacted in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) forced changes to traditional advocacy services. The current study aimed to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic transformed survivors' engagement with sexual assault advocacy services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 sexual assault advocates from a community-based advocacy organization in Detroit. Thematic analysis was employed to uncover emergent themes reflecting COVID-19's impact on survivors' engagement with advocacy services. Three themes were identified: (1) Disruption to advocacy services; (2) difficulty obtaining tangible resources; and (3) desire for COVID-related support, information, and resources. This study highlights the needs of sexual assault survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how public health emergencies have the potential to exacerbate the needs of this vulnerable population. Implications and future directions for service provision and research are considered.

Citing Articles

Exploring access to health and social supports for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors during stressful life events (SLEs)-A scoping review.

Idriss-Wheeler D, Bancroft X, Bouraleh S, Buy M, Yaya S, El-Khatib Z PLoS One. 2024; 19(12):e0313613.

PMID: 39621659 PMC: 11611170. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313613.

Does routine activity theory still matter during COVID-19 restrictions? The geography of sexual assaults before, during, and after COVID-19 restrictions.

Lersch K, Hart T J Crim Justice. 2023; 86:102050.

PMID: 36911596 PMC: 9986134. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102050.

Presenting Methodological Resilience for Conducting Research with Vulnerable Populations During Current and Future Pandemics: A Case Study with IPV Shelters and Survivors in the United States.

Ravi K, Cronley C, Lawler A, Held M J Fam Violence. 2023; :1-8.

PMID: 36743688 PMC: 9885919. DOI: 10.1007/s10896-023-00499-6.

Access to support services for individuals who experience intimate partner violence during stressful life events (SLEs) in high-income countries: Protocol for a scoping review.

Idriss-Wheeler D, El-Khatib Z, Yaya S PLoS One. 2022; 17(12):e0277903.

PMID: 36480494 PMC: 9731411. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277903.

COVID-19 and vulnerable populations.

Lewis R, Martin P, Guzman B J Community Psychol. 2022; 50(6):2537-2541.

PMID: 35567541 PMC: 9348380. DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22880.

References

Nnawulezi N, Hacskaylo M . Identifying and Responding to the Complex Needs of Domestic Violence Housing Practitioners at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Fam Violence. 2021; 37(6):915-925. PMC: 7783298. DOI: 10.1007/s10896-020-00231-8. View

Baggett T, Gaeta J . COVID-19 and homelessness: when crises intersect. Lancet Public Health. 2021; 6(4):e193-e194. PMC: 7864780. DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00022-0. View

Contreras C, Metzger G, Beane J, Dedhia P, Ejaz A, Pawlik T . Telemedicine: Patient-Provider Clinical Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond. J Gastrointest Surg. 2020; 24(7):1692-1697. PMC: 7206900. DOI: 10.1007/s11605-020-04623-5. View

Campbell R, Dworkin E, Cabral G . An ecological model of the impact of sexual assault on women's mental health. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2009; 10(3):225-46. DOI: 10.1177/1524838009334456. View

Annan S . "It's not just a job. This is where we live. This is our backyard": the experiences of expert legal and advocate providers with sexually assaulted women in rural areas. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2011; 17(2):139-47. DOI: 10.1177/1078390311401024. View

Goodsmith N, Ijadi-Maghsoodi R, Melendez R, Dossett E . Addressing the Urgent Housing Needs of Vulnerable Women in the Era of COVID-19: The Los Angeles County Experience. Psychiatr Serv. 2020; 72(3):349-352. PMC: 7920896. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202000318. View

Dworkin E, Pittenger S, Allen N . Disclosing Sexual Assault Within Social Networks: A Mixed-Method Investigation. Am J Community Psychol. 2016; 57(1-2):216-28. DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12033. View

Campbell R . Rape survivors' experiences with the legal and medical systems: do rape victim advocates make a difference?. Violence Against Women. 2005; 12(1):30-45. DOI: 10.1177/1077801205277539. View

Armstead T, Wilkins N, Nation M . Structural and social determinants of inequities in violence risk: A review of indicators. J Community Psychol. 2019; 49(4):878-906. PMC: 7278040. DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22232. View

10.

Moylan C . "I Fear I'm a Checkbox": College and University Victim Advocates' Perspectives of Campus Rape Reforms. Violence Against Women. 2016; 23(9):1122-1139. DOI: 10.1177/1077801216655623. View

11.

Sasangohar F, Bradshaw M, Carlson M, Flack J, Fowler J, Freeland D . Adapting an Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic to Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Practice Perspective. J Med Internet Res. 2020; 22(10):e22523. PMC: 7546859. DOI: 10.2196/22523. View

12.

Gostin L, Wiley L . Governmental Public Health Powers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Stay-at-home Orders, Business Closures, and Travel Restrictions. JAMA. 2020; 323(21):2137-2138. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2020.5460. View

13.

Westmarland N, Alderson S . The health, mental health, and well-being benefits of rape crisis counseling. J Interpers Violence. 2013; 28(17):3265-82. DOI: 10.1177/0886260513496899. View

14.

Munro-Kramer M, Cannon L, Scheiman L, St Ivany A, Bailey J . Accessing Healthcare Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Plight of Sexual Assault Survivors. J Forensic Nurs. 2021; 17(2):93-97. DOI: 10.1097/JFN.0000000000000326. View

15.

Wood L, Schrag R, Baumler E, Hairston D, Guillot-Wright S, Torres E . On the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Occupational Experiences of the Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault Workforce. J Interpers Violence. 2020; 37(11-12):NP9345-NP9366. PMC: 9136381. DOI: 10.1177/0886260520983304. View

16.

Maier S . "I have heard horrible stories . . .": rape victim advocates' perceptions of the revictimization of rape victims by the police and medical system. Violence Against Women. 2008; 14(7):786-808. DOI: 10.1177/1077801208320245. View

17.

Engleton J, Goodman-Williams R, Javorka M, Gregory K, Campbell R . Sexual assault survivors' engagement with advocacy services during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Community Psychol. 2022; 50(6):2644-2658. PMC: 9088241. DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22819. View

18.

Muldoon K, Denize K, Talarico R, Fell D, Sobiesiak A, Heimerl M . COVID-19 pandemic and violence: rising risks and decreasing urgent care-seeking for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors. BMC Med. 2021; 19(1):20. PMC: 7861965. DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-01897-z. View

19.

Serafini G, Parmigiani B, Amerio A, Aguglia A, Sher L, Amore M . The psychological impact of COVID-19 on the mental health in the general population. QJM. 2020; . PMC: 7337855. DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcaa201. View

20.

Maier S . The complexity of victim-questioning attitudes by rape victim advocates: exploring some gray areas. Violence Against Women. 2013; 18(12):1413-34. DOI: 10.1177/1077801212474432. View