Religious coping : the role of religion in mediating the effects of sex victimization on trust.
Date
Authors
Access rights
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Recent reports concerning violence against women estimate that over 3% of female college students are sexually assaulted each year. If other forms of nonconsensual sexual contact are included in these numbers, the estimates climb to upwards of 20%. With such high victimization rates, there is a resounding call for study of both offenders and victims to decrease these rates and mitigate the social effects of being victimized. Using data from a longitudinal study of female college students, this paper outlines the effects of victimization on the generalized trust held by the victims. Religious service attendance, as a venue for social capital, and religious normative influence are tested as potential medium for mediation of these effects. Mechanisms for this mediation are also discussed.