Rape Survivors' Experiences With the Legal and Medical Systems: Do Rape Victim Advocates Make a Difference?
Abstract
This study used a naturalistic quasi-experimental design to examine whether rape survivors who had the assistance of rape victim advocates had more positive experiences with the legal and medical systems compared to those who did not work with advocates. Eighty-one survivors were interviewed in two urban hospitals about what services they received from legal and medical system personnel and how they were treated during these interactions. Survivors who had the assistance of an advocate were significantly more likely to have police reports taken and were less likely to be treated negatively by police officers. These women also reported less distress after their contact with the legal system. Similarly, survivors who worked with an advocate during their emergency department care received more medical services, including emergency contraception and sexually transmitted disease prophylaxis, reported significantly fewer negative interpersonal interactions with medical system personnel, and reported less distress from their medical contact experiences.
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Studies have documented that interactions with law enforcement can be a source of invalidation and blame following a SA.
“Studies have documented that interactions with law enforcement can be a source of invalidation and blame following a SA (Ahrens, 2006; Campbell, 2006; Maier, 2008)”
From “Having One Person Tell Me I Didn’t Do the Wrong Thing”: The Impact of Support on the Post-Sexual Assault Exam Experience (2024) · cites this paper as Campbell, 2006
The presence of rape victim advocates can significantly improve officers' responses to rape victims.
“the presence of rape victim advocates can significantly improve officers' responses to rape victims (Campbell, 2006).”
From “I Didn’t Feel I Was A Victim”: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Male-on-male Survivors of Rape and Sexual Abuse (2022) · cites this paper as Campbell, 2006
When advocates are present during a SA exam, patients report having more positive experiences with law enforcement.
“when advocates are present during a SA exam, patients report having more positive experiences with law enforcement (Campbell, 2006).”
From “Having One Person Tell Me I Didn’t Do the Wrong Thing”: The Impact of Support on the Post-Sexual Assault Exam Experience (2024) · cites this paper as Campbell, 2006
Advocates proved beneficial and are an important part of the care team during and after a SA exam.
“Similarly, advocates also proved beneficial and are an important part of the care team during and after a SA exam (Campbell, 2006).”
From “Having One Person Tell Me I Didn’t Do the Wrong Thing”: The Impact of Support on the Post-Sexual Assault Exam Experience (2024) · cites this paper as Campbell, 2006
Cites
Sexual assault cases in the legal system: Police, prosecutor, and victim perspectives.
Frazier, P. A., & Haney, B. (1996) · Law and Human Behavior · doi:10.1007/bf01499234 · Cited by 319 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
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An ecological model of the impact of sexual assault on women's mental health
Campbell, R., Dworkin, E., & Cabral, G. (2009) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/1524838009334456 · Cited by 997 · see citing works
Self-citationSmith, C. P., & Freyd, J. J. (2014) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/a0037564 · Cited by 849 · see citing works
The Linkage Between Secondary Victimization by Law Enforcement and Rape Case Outcomes
Patterson, D. (2011) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/0886260510362889 · Cited by 165 · see citing works
The impact of detectives’ manner of questioning on rape victims’ disclosure
Patterson, D. (2011) · Violence Against Women · doi:10.1177/1077801211434725 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
Trauma-Informed Police Responses to Rape Victims
Rich, K. (2019) · Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma · doi:10.1080/10926771.2018.1540448 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Procedural justice in contacts with the police: the perspective of victims of crime
Elliott, I., Thomas, S. D. M., & Ogloff, J. R. P. (2012) · Police Practice and Research · doi:10.1080/15614263.2011.607659 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Widanaralalage, B. K., Hine, B. A., Murphy, A. D., & Murji, K. (2022) · Victims & Offenders · doi:10.1080/15564886.2022.2069898 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
“Firstly, the presence of rape victim advocates can significantly improve officers’ responses to rape victims (Campbell, 2006).”
BackgroundPolice officers' collaboration with rape victim advocates: Barriers and facilitators
Rich, K., & Seffrin, P. (2013) · Violence and Victims · doi:10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00044 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Murphy, A., Hine, B., Yesberg, J. A., Wunsch, D., & Charleton, B. (2022) · Psychology, Crime & Law · doi:10.1080/1068316x.2021.1880584 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Rape Crisis Victim Advocacy: A Systematic Review
Wegrzyn, A., Tull, P., Greeson, M. R., Pierre-Louis, C., Patton, E., & Shaw, J. (2023) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/15248380221082089 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“…study found survivors who are accompanied by advocates in the hospital are more likely to receive arrangements for follow-up care; receive information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and physical and psychological health effects; and be offered emergency contraception (Campbell, 2006).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialCaswell, R. J., Ross, J. D., & Lorimer, K. (2019) · Sexually Transmitted Infections · doi:10.1136/sextrans-2018-053920 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Sexual assault survivors' engagement with advocacy services during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Engleton, J., Goodman‐Williams, R., Javorka, M., Gregory, K., & Campbell, R. (2022) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.22819 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
“…advocates in a common approach in research on sexual assault survivors' engagement with community services (see Annan, 2011; Campbell & Salem, 1999; Campbell, 1998, 2005, 2006; Maier, 2007, 2012; Moylan, 2017; Ullman & Townsend, 2007, 2008) and their perspectives may be especially valuable during…”
BackgroundInfluentialSelf-citationBirds of a feather or fish out of water? Policewomen taking rape reports
Rich, K., & Seffrin, P. (2014) · Feminist Criminology · doi:10.1177/1557085113510551 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Hine, B. A., Murphy, A. D., Yesberg, J. A., Wunsch, D., Charleton, B., & Widanaralalage Don, B. K. S. (2021) · Police Practice and Research · doi:10.1080/15614263.2020.1843458 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Wright, E. N., Miyamoto, S., & Anderson, J. (2024) · Violence Against Women · doi:10.1177/10778012231156153 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Loss to follow-up may lead individuals to cope in isolation (Ackerman et al., 2006; Campbell, 2006; Monroe et al., 2005; Ullman, 2007; Ullman et al., 2018; Ullman & Peter-Hagene, 2014; Ullman & Relyea, 2016; Walsh et al., 2012,, 2013; Young-Wolff et al., 2018).”
BackgroundInfluentialMedical Advocates’ Care for Sexual Assault Survivors: Emergency Room Nurses’ Perspectives
Hoffman, E. E., Zinter, K. E., Greeson, M. R., Patton, E., Wegrzyn, A., & Tull, P. (2026) · Violence Against Women · doi:10.1177/10778012251397975
“Prior work by Campbell and colleagues suggests nurses can provide reliable information about survivors ’ experiences (Campbell, 2006; Campbell et al., 2005, 2022).”
Influential
- Authors
- Campbell, R.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Campbell, Rebecca
- ORCID
- Campbell, Rebecca
- Venue
- Violence Against Women
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 30-45
- ISSN
- 1077-8012 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-8448
- OpenAlex
- W2124480823
- Cited by
- 381
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 66 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 10.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Violence Against Women (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
- Social Sciences › Law › Legal and Social Justice Studies
- Keywords
- rape victims, emergency department care, emergency contraception, victim support
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Humans, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Patient Advocacy, Surveys and Questionnaires, Rape, United States, Urban Population, Women's Rights, Patient Satisfaction, Crime Victims, Narration, Law Enforcement
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