Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender Differences In Sexual Assault And Ptsd Stigma [Poster], Megan Kennedy, Elizabeth Lefler

Research in the Capitol

Sexual assault, a significant problem in our society, is experienced differently by male and female sexual assault victims. Stigma is frequently experienced by sexual assault victims and reinforced through media, culture, and rape/sexual assault myths, and influences the mental health problems victims face after assault, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Overall, insufficient research has been conducted on the differing experiences of stigma based on gender and diagnosis. It was hypothesized that male sexual assault victims would elicit more stigma than female characters, and characters with PTSD would elicit more stigma than characters who are resilient. With 214 participants, partial support …