Examination of a Culturally Specific Sexual Assault Intervention for African American Female Survivors

ABSTRACT

Despite the prevalence of sexual assault against African American women, there are few culturally specific interventions available to address the unique needs of these survivors. This article reports the results of a qualitative case study that examined the experiences and outcomes of 12 African American female survivors participating in a community-based, culturally specific group therapy program through an Afrocentric sexual assault agency. Results indicated that participants reported overall positive outcomes and satisfaction with the intervention. This study provides a preliminary understanding of the potential benefits of utilizing a culturally specific approach to sexual assault service provision in community-based settings. By documenting the experiences and outcomes of women participating in a culturally specific group intervention, this study helps bridge the gap between academic and practice-based knowledge and sheds new light on the value of culturally specific sexual assault services for African American survivors.

KEYWORDS:

• Culturally specific programs
• sexual assault
• African American women
• disclosure
• recovery
• community-based services

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to the program staff and group facilitators at the sexual assault agency for assistance with the design of the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Michigan State University. Study ID: STUDY00002321.