A Review of Relationships After Sexual Victimization

A Review of Relationships After Sexual Victimization

Abstract

Flangan and Furman conducted two studies to examine the links between sexual victimization and perceptions of romantic, parental, and peer relationships. An attachment perspective is proposed for understanding the impact of sexual victimization on close relationships for both high school and college students.

Many adolescent and young women experience some form of undesired or forced sexual experience with strangers or acquaintances. Anything from unwanted touching to rape would be considered a forced sexual encounter.

The literature on college and older women shows that numerous psychological and sexual dysfunctions are prevalent in rape victims. Psychological symptoms include feelings of fear, anger, embarrassment, humiliation, depression, and self blame in rape victims. Less sexual satisfaction, arousal, and fear of sex are some of the sexual symptoms experienced by victims. The first and foremost important effect of sexual victimization is distrust of others. Women victims may fear or be hostile towards men, which makes it difficult to establish and build a meaningful relationship. Adolescent victim relationships may be shorter in length because their bond with the perpetrators is not as strong as with older women.

Attachment theorists have emphasized that individuals that develop expectations or representations of close relationships with their caregivers in infancy. Infants who have received sensitive care will come to see others and themselves positively, whereas those who do not will develop negative working models of others and themselves. By internalizing expectations of others based on the care received, the infant creates a basis on which to transact this and other social relationships.

Bowlby (1973) believed that these internal working models of caregivers created by children over time; moreover, they would shape subsequent close relationships. In effect, these models of caretaking relationships would serve as a basis for models of subsequent relationships.” (Thousand Oaks, 2000, p. 351)

Hazan and Shaver proposed that adult romantic relationships can be thought of as attachment relationships and drew many parallels to infant and caretaker relationships. They also recognized that adult love relationships involves sexual behavior and reciprocal caregiving, two components that are non existent in infant attachment.