Sexual assault and harassment can have long-term detrimental effects on women's health



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A worried young woman. A new study has revealed a link between the experience of sexual harassment and a woman's sexual assault and an increased risk of hypertension, depression and anxiety. The report came after the #MeToo move that shook Hollywood over the past year. ( Ryan McGuire | pixabay )

A new study found that sexual assault victims treated mental and physical health issues long after the traumatic encounter.

The researchers recruited 304 women aged 40 to 60, all non-smokers, to answer questionnaires about their health. They found that women who had a history of sexual harassment and sexual assault report high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and poor sleeping conditions.

The results of the study were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. The results of the study will also be presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society in San Diego from October 3 to 6.

Lasting effects of sexual assault on health

Of the women interviewed during the study, 19% were victims of sexual harassment in their workplace. Meanwhile, 22% of women have a history of sexual assault.

Research has found that women who experience sexual harassment in the workplace are more likely to suffer from stage 1 or 2 hypertension and clinically poor sleep. Victims of sexual assault have a higher risk of depression, anxiety and clinically poor sleep.

Although the researchers can not prove that the previous experience of sexual harassment and sexual assault experienced by the participants directly caused the diagnosis of physical and mental health problems of these women, these researchers stated that the link was worth it.

"It is widely accepted that sexual harassment and sexual assault can affect women's lives and their functioning, but this study also assesses the implications of these experiences for women's health," said Rebecca Thurston, a professor with at the University of Pittsburgh and lead author of the book. study, in a press release.

A separate study published in July involving women in the United Kingdom found that four out of five teenage girls who had been sexually assaulted also had mental health problems, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. .

Prevalent problem

The results were published almost a year after the launch of the #MeToo movement in Hollywood with the revelation of the many sexual misconductions of the renowned film producer Harvey Weinstein spanning several decades. The movement also encouraged victims from other areas to stand up and expose their attackers.

The past year has been evidence of the true prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual assault against women. In a 2014 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 19% of American women had been raped and nearly 44% had experienced another form of sexual violence.

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