High Rape Chronicity and Low Rates of Help-Seeking Among Wife Rape Survivors in a Nonclinical Sample

Abstract

Research on sexual assault experiences and outcomes has not consistently reported analyses by victim/offender relationship and has not provided much detail on sexual assaults by husbands and ex-husbands. National Crime Victimization Survey data were analyzed to examine sexual assault chronicity and help-seeking behaviors among survivors of marital, acquaintance, and stranger sexual assault. Marital sexual assault survivors were significantly more likely than acquaintance and stranger survivors to experience multiple assaults, with many marital survivors experiencing more than 10 assaults in a 6-month period. The marital group was also less likely to seek medical, police, or agency help. Implications for research and practice are discussed.