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Cited by 65Sexual Assault and Victimization StudiesIntimate Partner and Family ViolenceChild Abuse and Trauma

The impact of sociocultural contexts on mental health following sexual violence: a conceptual model.

Open access
Dworkin, Emily R., Weaver, Terri L.·2021·Psychology of Violence
DOI 10.1037/vio0000350PMC PMC8494265
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Sexual violence has substantial mental health effects on survivors around the globe. Although there has been increasing attention to the ways that sociocultural environments can affect survivors' recovery, there has been no review to our knowledge of the specific factors within sociocultural environments that offer risk or protection, or the mechanisms by which these factors affect recovery. METHOD: To address this gap, we present a conceptual model supported by a theoretical and empirical review that prioritizes research conducted with ethnic minority and global samples. RESULTS: We identify three components of global sociocultural settings-norms, structures, and environmental stressors-that may affect mental health following sexual violence. We propose that these components may affect survivors' mental health by (1) influencing how survivors themselves, survivors' social contexts, and the systems with which survivors come into contact think about and respond to sexual violence, and (2) creating additional sources of stress, burden, or protection for survivors. CONCLUSIONS: We argue that future research, practice, and policy could have a greater effect on survivors by attending to sociocultural factors in recovery.

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  • Abuse is not solely an individual pathology but is shaped by relational, developmental, and sociocultural influences.

    “Together, these frameworks underscore that abuse is not solely an individual pathology but is shaped by relational, developmental, and sociocultural influences (Dworkin and Weaver, 2021).”

    From From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery (2026) · cites this paper as Dworkin and Weaver, 2021

    The Introduction says sexual violence occurs within societal and cultural contexts, and the Conceptual Model describes how relationships and sociocultural settings can shape survivors’ recovery. The paper’s focus is post-assault mental health, however; these passages do not establish that developmental influences shape abuse itself or characterize abuse as an individual pathology. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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Research works printed but not linked: 28

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Authors
Dworkin, E. R., & Weaver, T. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Washington (US)
  • Saint Louis University (US)
Corresponding author
Dworkin, Emily R.
ORCID
Venue
Psychology of Violence
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2021-09
Volume
11
Issue
5
Pages
476-487
ISSN
  • 2152-081X (ISSN-L)
  • 2152-0828
DOI
10.1037/vio0000350
PMC
PMC8494265
OpenAlex
W3196750275
Cited by
64
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1
FWCI
11.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychology of Violence (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R00AA026317)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
Keywords
sexual violence, sexual violence survivors, mental health, sociocultural context, recovery, cultural norms, social structure, environmental stressors, risk and protective factors, conceptual model

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