Postassault substance use and coping: a qualitative study of sexual assault survivors and informal support providers

ABSTRACT

This qualitative interview study examined 45 informal support dyads where a sexual assault was disclosed. Data from matched pairs of survivors and their primary informal support provider (e.g., friend, family, significant other) were used to explore the survivor–support provider (SP) perspectives of coping with assault-related distress via substance use and the effects of survivor substance use on the survivor-SP relationship. Results revealed that survivors’ use of drinking and/or drugs to cope had positive and negative effects on survivor-SP relationships. Findings also showed that SPs play various roles in providing support to survivors who cope via substance use, including engaging in substance use with the survivor and efforts to help get help in their recovery from the assault and substance abuse. Suggestions are made for how safe spaces can be provided where survivors and supporters can get information and treatment, whether formal or informal, that addresses sexual assault, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse issues in an integrated way.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual assault
• substance use
• coping
• support provider
• qualitative dyad

Notes

1. Refers to demographic characteristics (S/SP relationship, gender, age, race/ethnicity). SO = significant other, F = family, FR = friend, M = male, F = female, AA = African American, WH = White, N = Native American, H = Hispanic, multi = multirace, U = unknown.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA #17429) to Sarah Ullman, Principal Investigator. We thank Mark Relyea, Rannveig Sigurvinsdottir, Amanda Vasquez, Liana Peter-Hagene, Meghna Bhat, Cynthia Najdowski, Saloni Shah, Susan Zimmerman, Rene Bayley, Farnaz Mohammad-Ali, Shana Dubinsky, Diana Acosta, Brittany Tolar, and Gabriela Lopez for assistance with data collection.