Project Summary
Sexual violence (SV) is a major public health issue that disproportionately affects bisexual women (BiW). SV is
associated with devastating mental health consequences. In particular, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are
disproportionately elevated among BiW SV survivors. BiW are also especially likely to use alcohol to cope with their
distress. Alcohol use in the context of intimate relationships is a known risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV),
including physical, sexual, and psychological harm. BiW report much higher rates of IPV victimization than either
heterosexual or lesbian women. Although research has demonstrated consistent links between SV experiences, PTSS,
drinking, and subsequent IPV risk, little is known about the impact of SV disclosure on these processes. This is surprising
given a robust body of research demonstrating the impact of the disclosure process and social reactions on survivor health
outcomes. This work shows that receipt of negative social reactions to SV disclosure may constitute a “second assault.”
Specifically, BiW survivors are more likely to receive negative reactions – such as blame, disbelief, or minimization – in
response to their disclosures, and are especially likely to disclose SV to intimate partners. The integration of this literature
suggests a process whereby receipt of negative reactions to SV disclosure is associated with heightened trauma symptoms,
which exacerbate alcohol use that, in turn, heightens risk for IPV victimization. As much as trauma symptoms and alcohol
use may be impacted by survivors’ disclosure experiences, these mechanistic processes are further complicated by
minority stress. Minority stress – particularly salient among BiW given the proliferation of misogyny, heterosexist
attitudes, and biphobia within both gay/lesbian and heterosexual communities – exacerbates PTSS, contributes to
hazardous alcohol use, and impedes processes of recovery. More specifically, minority stress may interact, in serial
fashion, with negative reactions from partners and trauma symptoms to predict greater alcohol use and subsequent IPV
victimization. To test this model, a national sample of 300 BiW who disclosed sexual violence to an intimate partner will
complete self-report questionnaires assessing receipt of social reactions to partner-involved disclosure, trauma symptoms
linked to SV, alcohol use, minority stress, and IPV experiences at three time points across six months. Findings from the
proposed study are expected to clarify key interpersonal and intrapersonal processes that may increase risk for IPV among
BiW SV survivors, thus informing the development of effective intervention strategies.
