Does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study.
A recent study indicated that 94.4% of reported sexual assault cases in the UK do not result in successful legal prosecution, also known as the rate of attrition (Kelly, Lovett, and Regan, 2005). Scant research has examined the role of trauma-related psychological processes in attrition. Victims of...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2009
|
| _version_ | 1797068901927878656 |
|---|---|
| author | Hardy, A Young, K Holmes, E |
| author_facet | Hardy, A Young, K Holmes, E |
| author_sort | Hardy, A |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | A recent study indicated that 94.4% of reported sexual assault cases in the UK do not result in successful legal prosecution, also known as the rate of attrition (Kelly, Lovett, and Regan, 2005). Scant research has examined the role of trauma-related psychological processes in attrition. Victims of sexual assault (N =22) completed questions about peri-traumatic dissociation, trauma memory fragmentation, account incoherence during police interview, and likelihood of proceeding with legal cases. Higher levels of dissociation during sexual assault were associated with participants reporting more fragmented trauma memories. Memory fragmentation was associated with participants indicating that they provided more incoherent accounts of trauma during police interview. Importantly, people who viewed themselves as providing more incoherent accounts predicted that they would be less likely to proceed with their legal cases. The findings suggest trauma impacts on memory, and these trauma-related disruptions to memory may paradoxically contribute to attrition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:16:40Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:539a1e7e-c53c-4419-b942-d90d85d91505 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:16:40Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:539a1e7e-c53c-4419-b942-d90d85d915052022-03-26T16:32:46ZDoes trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:539a1e7e-c53c-4419-b942-d90d85d91505EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Hardy, AYoung, KHolmes, EA recent study indicated that 94.4% of reported sexual assault cases in the UK do not result in successful legal prosecution, also known as the rate of attrition (Kelly, Lovett, and Regan, 2005). Scant research has examined the role of trauma-related psychological processes in attrition. Victims of sexual assault (N =22) completed questions about peri-traumatic dissociation, trauma memory fragmentation, account incoherence during police interview, and likelihood of proceeding with legal cases. Higher levels of dissociation during sexual assault were associated with participants reporting more fragmented trauma memories. Memory fragmentation was associated with participants indicating that they provided more incoherent accounts of trauma during police interview. Importantly, people who viewed themselves as providing more incoherent accounts predicted that they would be less likely to proceed with their legal cases. The findings suggest trauma impacts on memory, and these trauma-related disruptions to memory may paradoxically contribute to attrition. |
| spellingShingle | Hardy, A Young, K Holmes, E Does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study. |
| title | Does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study. |
| title_full | Does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study. |
| title_fullStr | Does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study. |
| title_short | Does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews? An exploratory study. |
| title_sort | does trauma memory play a role in the experience of reporting sexual assault during police interviews an exploratory study |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hardya doestraumamemoryplayaroleintheexperienceofreportingsexualassaultduringpoliceinterviewsanexploratorystudy AT youngk doestraumamemoryplayaroleintheexperienceofreportingsexualassaultduringpoliceinterviewsanexploratorystudy AT holmese doestraumamemoryplayaroleintheexperienceofreportingsexualassaultduringpoliceinterviewsanexploratorystudy |