Women's Experiences Accessing Mental Health Care in Australia After Sexual Violence in Adulthood

In Australia, at least one in every five women has experienced sexual violence since age 15. Research consistently links sexual violence with poor mental health, persisting long after the crisis period. Trauma-informed mental health support is therefore critical. This article draws on interviews wit...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Isaac, Sandra (Author) ; McLindon, Elizabeth (Author) ; Hegarty, Kelsey (Author) ; Tarzia, Laura (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2024
In: Violence against women
Year: 2024, Volume: 30, Issue: 12/13, Pages: 3140-3162
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Keywords:
Australia
trauma-informed care
Women
Mental Health
Sexual Violence
Description
Summary:In Australia, at least one in every five women has experienced sexual violence since age 15. Research consistently links sexual violence with poor mental health, persisting long after the crisis period. Trauma-informed mental health support is therefore critical. This article draws on interviews with 29 women who had experienced sexual violence to understand their experiences accessing mental health services in Australia. Our findings suggest that, constrained by a biomedical model of care, mental health practitioners’ understanding of trauma generally, and sexual violence particularly, may be lacking. Further, women struggle to navigate a “maze” of services.
ISSN:1552-8448
DOI:10.1177/10778012231176198