13 / 13
Page 38
Volume 3
Psychology 2019
July 31-August 01, 2019
Journal of Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Science
July 31-August 01, 2019 | Amsterdam, Netherlands
PSYCHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
22
nd
World Congress on
Clin Psychol Cog Sci, Volume 3
Effective sexual assault treatment as viewed jointly by survivors and expert therapists
Avigail Moor
Tel Hai College, Israel
R
ape and sexual assault have been widely linked to severe psychological sequelae, the recovery from which often requires
professional help. Thanks to the current shift in societal attitudes towards sexual violence, the victim's perspective is
increasingly being heard. The present study is yet another step in that direction. Through the investigation of what recovered
survivors of sexual assault identify as the therapeutic interventions that most assisted them in overcoming their trauma, guidelines
for optimal sexual assault treatment are established. These receive further support from a comparison with expert therapists as
to what they view as being most conducive to recovery from rape. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with
15 survivors who have experienced a successful course of therapy, and 15 therapists with extensive expertise in the field. The
results document considerable agreement between the two perspective, which share much in common. First, irrespective of
the specific techniques involved, both survivors and therapists placed the greatest importance on a respectful and validating
therapeutic relationship, that operates to counter the dehumanization and degradation entailed in the assault. In addition,
specific interventions were identified, which include the reprocessing of all rape-specific peri-traumatic reactions coupled with
the intentional countering of their consequences within the therapeutic relationship. Together, these reports provide a detailed
account of post-rape treatment needs and the interventions required for their effective resolution.