Experiences of Dehumanizing: Examining Secondary Victimization Within the Nurse-Patient Relationship Among African American Women Survivors of Sexual Assault in the Upper Midwest

Authors

• Ashley Ruiz, Arizona State University
• Kaylen M. Moore, Marquette UniversityFollow
• Lynne M. Woehrle, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
• Peninnah M. Kako, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
• Kelly C. Davis, Arizona State University
• Lucy Mkandawire-Valhmu, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2023

Publisher

Elsevier

Source Publication

Social Science & Medicine

Source ISSN

0277-9536

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116029

Abstract

Despite calls recognizing the need for culturally sensitive responses to minimize the occurrence of secondary victimization for African American women following an experience of sexual assault, few studies have focused on hearing from African American women survivors about their experiences receiving healthcare services in a hospital setting following sexual assault. Employing critical ethnography as our methodology and using intersectionality theory as a lens, we centered the voices of African American women survivors about their experiences receiving nursing care in urban acute care or hospital settings in the Upper Midwest of the United States following sexual assault. In this qualitative study, 30 African American women survivors were interviewed using in-depth, semi-structured interviews about their post-sexual assault care. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. An important theme identified focused on survivors’ experiences of dehumanization when receiving healthcare services following sexual assault. These experiences included: discrediting, dismissing, shaming, and blaming. To mitigate and prevent secondary victimization in the future, we present practice and education change recommendations for nurses, and healthcare providers more broadly, based on the voices of African American female survivors of sexual assault.

Comments

Accepted version. Social Science & Medicine, Vol. 329 (July 2023). DOI. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. Used with permission.

Kaylen Moore was affiliated with University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee at the time of publication.  

Recommended Citation

Ruiz, Ashley; Moore, Kaylen M.; Woehrle, Lynne M.; Kako, Peninnah M.; Davis, Kelly C.; and Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy, "Experiences of Dehumanizing: Examining Secondary Victimization Within the Nurse-Patient Relationship Among African American Women Survivors of Sexual Assault in the Upper Midwest" (2023). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 1287.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/1287