Religious Coping: The Role of Religion in Attenuating the Effect of Sexual Victimization of College Women on Trust

Abstract

Recent reports concerning violence against women estimate that over 3 % of female college students are sexually assaulted each year. If other forms of non-consensual 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 in an effort to decrease these rates and to mitigate the social effects of being victimized. The present research focuses specifically on the latter, using a victimology-based approach. 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. It is proposed that religion may serve as a means to attenuate these negative effects. Using ordered logistic regressions, religious service attendance is tested as a potential medium for the proposed attenuation.