Years after incidents of sexual assault, survivors often experience persistent physical symptoms and chronic health concerns, according to a new study led by scholars at Aarhus University in Denmark
Using data from a large Danish health study, the authors investigated the relationship between sexual assault and functional somatic disorders, which are conditions with painful physical symptoms that cannot be explained by other medical or mental health disorders. According to their analysis, the research team found that participants who had experienced sexual violence were 69 percent more likely to report ongoing or developing physical health problems compared to other participants. These health challenges included musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary, and fatigue-related symptoms. Overall, survivors reported more symptoms affecting multiple parts of the body and their symptoms were more severe.
Based on their findings, the authors suggest more must be done to inform providers about the long-term biological risks of sexual assault, allowing them to provide survivors with better support and increase survivors’ trust in healthcare systems.
The research team included authors from Copenhagen University in Denmark and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.