Citation

Briere J, Jordan CE. J. Interpers. Violence 2004; 19(11): 1252-1276.

Affiliation

University of Southern California, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0886260504269682

PMID

15534329

Abstract

This article reviews the major forms of violence against women, including sexual assault, intimate-relationship violence, and stalking and outlines the known psychological effects of such victimization. Also discussed are a number of variables that combine to determine the effects of such victimization, including type and characteristics of the assault; victim variables such as demographics, psychological reactions at the time of the trauma, previous victimization history, current or previous psychological difficulties, and general coping style; and sociocultural factors such as poverty, social inequality, and inadequate social support. The implications of this complexity are explored in terms of psychological assessment and the frequent need for multitarget, multimodal treatment approaches.