Abstract

Sexual violence (SV) is a pressing concern in the United States. SV (i.e., unwanted sexual contact, coercion, and wanted or unwanted penetration of another). Individuals with minoritized sexual, racial/ethnic, and gender identities experience worse psychosocial outcomes than their majority counterparts. People with multiple marginalized identities have been shown to experience traumatic events at greater rates and with significantly different outcomes compared to those with one minoritized identity. Cultural betrayal trauma theory proposes that these differences in mental health outcomes may be explained in part by a shared cultural identity between a SV perpetrator and victim, which is posited to exacerbate mental health symptomology. This study's sample consisted of 276 participants who were over the age of 18 and identified with both minoritized sexual and racial/ethnic identities. Results of this study failed to support most of the study's hypotheses yet confirmed that increase in mental health symptomology is associated with SV experience. This study indicates that research of cultural betrayal trauma may necessitate a more nuanced approach among individuals with multiple marginalized identities.

Thesis Completion

2023

Semester

Summer

Thesis Chair/Advisor

Woerner, Jacqueline

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Program

Psychology, Clinical Track

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Release Date

8-15-2023

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