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Women's experiences accessing mental health care in Australia after sexual violence in adulthood Sandra Isaac, Elizabeth McLindon, Kelsey Hegarty and Laura Tarzia

By: Isaac, Sandra.
Contributor(s): McLindon, Elizabeth | Hegarty, Kelsey | Tarzia, Laura.
Material type: materialTypeLabelArticleSeries: Violence Against Women.Publisher: Sage, 2024Subject(s): ABUSED WOMEN | HELP SEEKING | MENTAL HEALTH | SEXUAL VIOLENCE | SUPPORT SERVICES | TRAUMA | VICTIM/SURVIVORS' VOICES | VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE | INTERNATIONAL | AUSTRALIAOnline resources: DOI: 10.1177/10778012231176198 (Open access) In: Violence Against Women, 2024, 30(12-13), 3140-3162Summary: 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. (Authors' abstract). Record #8183
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Violence Against Women, 2024, 30(12-13), 3140-3162

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. (Authors' abstract). Record #8183