Title: Mental Health Impact of Rape
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Content: One-third (33%) of the rape victims and 8% of the non-victims of crime said yes. Rape victims were 4.1 times more likely than non-crime victims to have contemplated suicide. Rape victims were 13 times more likely than non-crime victims to have attempted suicide (13% Vs 1%). Substance Abuse
There was substantial evidence that rape victims had higher rates than non-victims of drug and alcohol consumption and a greater likelihood of having drug and alcohol-related problems. Compared to women who had never been crime victims, rape victims with RR-PTSD were: 13.4 times more likely to have two or more major alcohol problems (20.1% Vs 1.5%). 26 times more likely to have two or more major serious drug abuse problems (7.8% Vs 0.3%). The National Women's Study findings provide compelling evidence about the extent to which rape poses a danger to American women's mental health -- and even their continued survival -- because of increased suicide risk. Thus, rape is a problem for America's mental and public health systems as well as the criminal justice system. Key Concerns of Rape Victims
To effectively respond to rape victims, service providers and criminal justice officials need to understand the major concerns of rape victims.