ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES : DO WOMEN VIEW THIS AS A VIABLE TREATMENT OPTION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT?

Abstract

This study examined if college women held positive or negative attitudes toward online interventions for sexual assault as compared to traditional, face-to-face therapy, as well as to assess perceived advantages and disadvantages of utilizing online interventions, including those for sexual assault. Female students over the age of 18 (n = 495) were recruited to take an online survey of their beliefs toward treatment approaches for negative sexual experiences. Of the students surveyed, 35% (n = 171) reported a sexual assault experience in adolescence or adulthood. Of these, 68% (n = 109) screened positively for an experience of completed rape and 91% (n = 155) screened positively for an experience of attempted rape. The responses of these women were also compared to responses from non-victims to examine differences in attitudes toward online interventions among victims versus non-victims. The results supported that college women had positive perceptions of online interventions overall, but they also had concerns about the intimacy, privacy, and effectiveness of online treatment methods. Additionally, the results supported that non-victims were more likely to state they would choose treatment in a traditional, face-to-face setting, while women who had experienced sexual assault were more likely to prefer online treatments. Therefore, the potential exists for online treatments to be viewed as a viable means to provide support for victims of rape trauma. However, it is also clear that many individuals still have a number of concerns about a number of aspects of online interventions.