Citation

Bhuptani PH, Kaufman JS, Messman-Moore TL, Gratz KL, DiLillo D. Violence Against Women 2019; 25(10): 1226-1242.

Affiliation

The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801218811683

PMID

30474500

Abstract

Many women who disclose a rape encounter victim-blaming responses, which are associated with negative outcomes. The present study examined rape-related shame and experiential avoidance as mediators of the relation between victim-blaming responses to rape disclosure and depression among 103 rape survivors drawn from a community sample.

RESULTS revealed that victim-blaming responses were positively associated with depressive symptoms through rape-related shame and experiential avoidance, and shame was indirectly related to depression via avoidance.

FINDINGS suggest clinical interventions should focus on rape-related shame and experiential avoidance in targeting depression among rape survivors, and future research should continue to examine how victim-blaming responses to rape disclosure may be related to these factors.

Language: en

Keywords

blame; depression; disclosure; experiential avoidance; rape; shame; victim blaming