Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and hopelessness in women who are victims of sexual violence

Objective

To evaluate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and hopelessness in women 1 and 6 months after they experienced sexual violence.

Methods

This prospective study, in which the clinician-administered PTSD scale, the Beck depression inventory, and the Beck hopelessness scale were used, included 67 women at 1 month and 52 women at 6 months after they experienced sexual violence.

Results

Overall, 77.6% of the women were ≤ 24 years of age, and 52% were adolescents; 15% had a history of drug abuse, and 13.5% had a history of previous sexual violence. The aggressor was unknown in 76% of cases, and there was more than 1 aggressor in 9% of cases. In the first month, 43% of the women had moderate or very severe PTSD; 52.2% had moderate or severe depression; and 22.4% had moderate or severe hopelessness, which decreased to 21%, 20% and 10%, respectively, at 6 months. In the first month, severity of PTSD was associated with moderate or severe depression, and at 6 months severity of PTSD was associated with multiple aggressors and previous psychiatric disorders. All scores decreased in the sixth month.

Conclusion

Severe mental health disorders were still present 6 months after women had experienced sexual violence.