Social Reactions and Trauma Symptoms Among Gender and Sexual Minority Students Disclosing Sexual Violence

Abstract

Addressing the higher rates of sexual violence experienced by gender and sexual minority students in university contexts requires an understanding of responses to disclosures of sexual violence. Using data from a large-scale study of sexual violence in university contexts, the current study examined (1) whether gender and sexual minority status was associated with responses to sexual violence disclosure and (2) how disclosure responses were associated with trauma symptoms among these students. Linear regression indicated that university students’ (n= 1,464) reports of responses to disclosures of sexual violence did not differ across gender or sexual minority status. Focusing on gender and sexual minority participants (n= 327), linear regression linked turning against the victim and positive responses to higher levels of trauma symptoms.