Lifetime Sexual Revictimization in Military Populations: A Scoping Review

Abstract

There are multiple patterns of sexual revictimization specific to individuals who serve in the military, and each pattern may be associated with unique risk factors and outcomes. Our goal was to determine which aspects of those patterns have been studied and what is known. We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and adhered to Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework for scoping reviews. To meet inclusion criteria, articles had to focus on sexual victimization among military personnel, be original research published from 2000 to 2024, and written in English. Of 1,196 articles screened, 61 articles met the inclusion criteria, and 28 were selected after a full review. Following a manual citation search, 4 more articles were added, resulting in 32 articles. Overall, researchers tended to examine the link between childhood sexual abuse (CSA), military sexual trauma (MST; sexual victimization during service), and subsequent revictimization. Findings indicate that CSA increases the risk of MST and associated mental health issues, especially post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, social support was identified as a protective factor for sexual revictimization, and inconsistencies in defining CSA were noted across studies. This review highlights the need for standardized research on sexual revictimization in military settings. Future studies should focus on longitudinal designs and standardized measures to better understand the complex dynamics of revictimization and inform targeted interventions.

Keywords

military sexual trauma sexual revictimization veterans childhood sexual abuse PTSD

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