TITLE:
Latinas’ Experience of Sexual Assault Disclosure
AUTHORS:
Melissa Villarreal
KEYWORDS:
Hispanic, Latina, Sexual Assault, Initial Disclosure, Feelings and Consequences
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.5 No.10,
August
19,
2014
ABSTRACT: This
study describes Latina’s experience of sexual assault disclosure. This study
contributes Latinas’ voices to the literature on sexual assault disclosure,
about feelings experienced during the initial disclosure—regret, shame,
and negative judgment of self, and about consequences experienced from the
disclosure—feeling spoiled for marriage, silenced, and disbelieved. It points
to the need for further research on social interventions to empower Latina
sexual assault survivors. Although the literature review identified some
research in the area of sexual assault with Latinas, there has been a limited
amount of research conducted on feelings and consequences experienced
specifically by Latinas during a sexual assault disclosure.