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Brett Kavanaugh's vote goes from the front, but no matter the outcome, Christine Blasey Ford and the survivors as she will remain with the legacy of what they've experienced. Ford testified that Kavanaugh had assaulted her, which she said had contributed to anxiety, phobia and symptoms similar to those of the PTSD. Many victims of sexual violence report persistent depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
But a new study published Wednesday in JAMA Internal Medicine establishes a clear link not only between sexual trauma and lasting psychological problems, but also the physical effects that contribute to disease or even death.
In addition, sexual harassment – which, according to previous estimates, varies between 25 and 85% of women during their lifetime – also contributes to these poor health outcomes.
The study, conducted by a research team from the University of Pittsburgh, examined the health outcomes of just over 300 non-smoking women aged 40 to 60 years old. She revealed that people who reported a history of sexual assault were more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and poor sleep.
And a history of sexual harassment was linked to high blood pressure, poor sleep and higher triglyceride levels, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The researchers in the study did not deliberately schedule the release of their findings to Ford's testimony or to the growing Me Too movement. In fact, their initial goal was simply to study the impact of hormonal changes in menopause on heart health.
But they were struck by the high levels of harassment and aggression reported by study participants, who answered general questions about their life experiences and their health. Using a common questionnaire, researchers asked women whether they had ever experienced unwanted sexual contact or whether they had been under pressure.
Nineteen percent of women reported experiencing sexual harassment at work, 22% reported having been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives and 10% more.
"These experiences are really common," Rebecca Thurston, researcher in psychiatry, psychology and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh told HuffPost.
"And [they] have a profound impact on women's lives, "she continued. "Not only about their general functioning at work or school, but also about their mental and physical health."
Although the study does not attempt to establish the cause and effect, Thurston stated that sexual harassment and sexual assault can affect long-term health in many ways.
For example, research has long shown that trauma can negatively affect people's health behaviors. For example, victims of sexual violence are more likely to smoke and drink, which affects overall health.
But the stress that accompanies aggression and harassment could also have a direct physiological effect.
"Stress, especially if it's chronic, is linked to a high rate of stress hormones, which can impact the genome," Thurston said. Over the past decade, researchers have begun to understand how stress hormones can alter gene activity and, ultimately, influence the body's ability to regulate itself.
The researchers did not collect data on when women reported being victims of sexual assault or harassment. However, research shows that this type of event often occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood. As the women in the study were between 40 and 60 years old, the results suggest that these health effects last for decades.
Thurston said she hoped his work, combined with this political moment focused on survivor stories, would help shed light on the need for further research to understand how widespread sexual trauma is and how far it can affect it. well-being of the person. (She noted that the same thing might be true for men, she just happens to study women's health in particular.)
"We are playing a catch-up game here to understand the prevalence of these exposures to toxic stress, as well as their impact on women's health," she said.
The work of his team was presented at the North American Menopause Society's annual meeting this week.
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