SOCIAL SUPPORT AND RISK OF SEXUAL ASSAULT REVICTIMIZATION

Limited research on revictimization has examined the role of social support, which is known to affect sexual assault survivor's psychological recovery. Measuring social support also provides a more ecological approach to understanding revictimization, as it assesses the possible role of those in the survivors' environment. The current study examined how social support and disclosure experiences of 625 community-based survivors related to their revictimization status over a 12-month period. Results showed differences between revictimized and nonrevictimized survivors in terms of who they disclosed to about their assault. In addition, revictimized survivors received less informational and emotional support and more blaming reactions. Implications for future research regarding using an ecological approach to better understand revictimization risk are discussed. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.