What Date/Acquaintance Rape Victims Tell Others: A Study of College Student Recipients of Disclosure

• Published in: Journal of American college health Vol. 47; no. 5; pp. 213 - 219
• Main Authors: Dunn, Patricia C., Vail-Smith, Karen, Knight, Sharon M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01.03.1999; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: acquaintance rape; Adolescent; Adult; College students; Data Analysis; Date rape; Disclosure; Female; Health Education; Humans; Male; Peers; Rape; Rape - prevention & control; Rape - psychology; Rape - statistics & numerical data; Sex crimes; Southeastern United States; Student Health Services; Students; Students - psychology; Truth Disclosure; Universities; USA; Victims of crime; Southeastern United States
• ISSN: 0744-8481; 1940-3208
• DOI: 10.1080/07448489909595650

The authors surveyed 828 college students and found that approximately one third (n = 282) of the respondents reported that one or more women had told them that they had been raped by their dates or acquaintances. The 282 respondents who knew 1 or more victims of date/acquaintance rape reported on a total of 396 victims. The number of victims identified by respondents ranged from 1 to 3 or more (1 = 73%; 2 = 19%, 3 = 5%, ≥ 4 = 3%). Reactions to disclosure offered by these respondents were generally supportive of the victim. The respondents' reactions suggested that there is a continuing need to educate students about the incidence and risks associated with date/acquaintance rape and the possibility of disclosure, particularly by friends or dating partners, and brought out some possible helpful and some counterproductive reactions to such disclosures.