ABSTRACT
Recent research has established that rape and other forms of sexual assault have a highly traumatic and enduring effect on the victim (e.g., Burgess & Holmstrom, 1979; Frank & Stewart, 1983; Kilpatrick, Resick, & Veronen, 1981; Kilpatrick, Veronen, & Resick, 1979; McCahill, Meyer, & Fischman, 1979; Ruch & Chandler, 1982, 1983; Ruch & Leon, 1983; Williams & Holmes, 1981). Burgess and Holmstrom (1979) reported that rape victims characteristically experience a similar pattern of symptoms, which they term the rape trauma syndrome (RTS). The RTS has two phases–the acute phase, where the primary response is fear for personal safety, followed by the reorganization phase, characterized by diverse symptoms such as phobias, insomnia, sexual dysfunctions, and major changes in life style. In a longitudinal study of psychological distress among rape victims and a comparison group of nonvictims, Kilpatrick and colleagues found that victims suffer an acute and generalized response during the early stages of the RTS and that symptoms of fear and anxiety continue for at least one year postassault (Kilpatrick et al., 1979, 1981).
