Citation

Fergerson AK, Karnick A, Caulfield NM, Tennity CL, Capron DW. Violence Against Women 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/10778012231153362

PMID

36744378

Abstract

Sexual minority women (SMW) are at risk for sexual victimization and stressors specifically related to their minority identity (e.g., discrimination). However, SMW experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at rates beyond what may be explained by elevated risk for sexual victimization alone. This study aimed to examine the impact of stigma on PTSD symptoms among SMW survivors of sexual victimization.

RESULTS indicate that in relation to minority-specific distal stressors (i.e., heterosexist experiences), both minority-specific and general proximal stressors (i.e., internalized heterosexism, negative posttraumatic cognitions) indirectly affected PTSD symptom severity among this cross-sectional sample of sexually victimized SMW.

Language: en

Keywords

PTSD; sexual assault; heterosexism; minority stress; sexual minority women