Course

Practice-Informed Research in Health Systems

Document Type

Capstone

Publication Date

Fall 12-1-2024

Executive Summary

Introduction and Background. The research project aimed to address the psychological impact of sexual trauma on women, while evaluating the effectiveness of coping skills. These traumatic experiences can result in long-term psychological ramifications affecting survivors' everyday lives, relationships, mental health, identity, and sense of self-worth. However, with the correct services, support, and assistance, victims were more likely to develop healthy coping skills, feel empowered, and regain their autonomy. The research highlighted the need for a competent holistic approach in providing services and interventions to women who have experienced sexual trauma. It focused on the effectiveness of certain interventions when considering the psychological and social factors that impacted the sexual abuse victims healing journey. Victims faced obstacles such as structural racism, income inequalities, and lack of available resources in their local community when seeking help. The researchers intended to use available literature and their own data collection to explore these issues. Women in minority groups and those with low socioeconomic status experienced disparities which resulted in poor mental health, increased substance use or abuse, and physical problems associated with health access inequalities. Relevance and Impact in Today's Society. Because of the prevalence of sexual trauma for women today, there is a need to increase awareness to aid in breaking the silence and stigma around this issue. It is important to promote the implementation of preventative measures and encourage victims to seek help. Sexual trauma can have a profound impact on women's mental health and well-being. By fostering the public’s empathy, understanding the impact of sexual abuse, and being better educated, society can better support sexually abuse victims which may result in an environment for victims to feel heard and validated. It is necessary to take initiatives to prevent future sexual abuse. Sexual abuse in women is also a critical issue in today's world as victims often struggle with the heavy burden of shame, making it difficult to seek support to help them cope with the emotional and psychological aftermath of their experiences. Reducing stigmatization can benefit victims by encouraging them to come forward and access the resources they need to heal from the traumatic experience. Additionally, the research demonstrates the need for more comprehensive and culturally competent holistic services such as psychotherapy, evidence-based interventions, and individualized treatment, which ensure that all sexual abuse survivors have the support required to heal, build resilience, and rebuild their lives. The long-term psychological effects of sexual trauma impact individuals' ability to maintain employment, engage in social activities, and form healthy relationships. Sexual abused women often self-isolate which has detrimental consequences on their mental well-being and healing journey. By understanding the unique challenges that women face and addressing the psychological consequences of trauma, society can better support women in their journey toward recovery and healing. With continued research, advocacy, and policy change, victims of sexual abuse can find a supportive environment to heal and thrive by raising awareness, reducing stigmatization, and understanding the long-term psychological effects of sexual trauma. What the Researchers Did and Found. The researchers involved a mixed-method approach, utilizing a bilingual Spanish/English questionnaire and offering a zoom or follow up structured interviews to gather data. Participants were recruited from public places in Sacramento and Novato/San Rafael, California, to ensure a diverse sample. The data collection process involved qualitative structured interviews with 11-item open-ended questions to understand participants' experiences and perspectives on navigating their traumatic experiences, in addition to the coping skills and resources that aided their healing journey. The data was organized into quantitative trends and analyzed by categorizing descriptive factors using Qualtrics to transcribe and identify themes and patterns from the interviews. The findings indicated the complexity and diversity among women survivors, emphasizing that ethnicity, culture, and lack of resources significantly impacted their recovery process, mental health, and healing journey. Main Takeaways. The main takeaways from the research on sexual trauma in women and their healing journey are that it is vital for victims to have access to trauma-informed care and culturally competent services. The study emphasized the profound impact of sexual trauma on survivors' mental health and overall well-being. There is a need to raise awareness to address barriers such as stigma, financial constraints, and lack of resources, and hold abusers responsible. Moving forward, it is clear that more research needs to be done and policies need to address these issues to create a supportive environment for sexually abused survivors to heal and thrive. Women who experience sexual abuse are in high need of individualized, cultural competent services as survivors have been significantly neglected. Structural barriers, lack of resources, and public awareness continue to obstruct empathy and supportive environments for victims' healing and recovery. Further research can help fight the prevalence of sexual trauma and create more effective interventions to serve and assist diverse surviving victims and their families. Limitations. The study faced limitations such as geographical barriers and limited recruitment of participants. A small sample size of 16 participants limited the ability to draw reliable conclusions, potentially causing inaccuracy patterns. Recruitment from specific locations like the laundromat, coffee shops and libraries may not represent the entire population of sexual assault survivors. These factors along with self-reporting and limited number of researchers may have affected the reliability and generalizability of the findings.

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6. The Psychological Impact of Sexual Trauma in Women and the Impact of their Healing Journey-2.pdf (1).pdf (218 kB)
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