A Clinician's Guide to Disclosures of Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is a worldwide public health concern, as it occurs to people of all genders at alarming rates and results in serious impacts to physical and mental health. Furthermore, the reactions that survivors receive from formal and informal supports can significantly influence survivors' recovery. Given the prevalence of sexual assault, practitioners need to be prepared to handle disclosures of sexual assault from clients.

A Clinician's Guide to Disclosures of Sexual Assault provides guidance for service providers on how to interact with survivors of sexual assault, defined here as sexual contact or penetration without the explicit consent of the victim. The book highlights that there are specific populations (e.g., sexual minorities, men) and settings (e.g., military, higher education) that require unique considerations when discussing sexual violence. Beginning with a foundation of literature focused on sexual assault and survivor disclosure, chapters build upon current theory and offer recommendations for conducting effective assessments and psychotherapy with survivors. Finally, case examples are presented to illustrate how these approaches can be used in practice. Professionals across disciplines, such as medical or educational settings, law enforcement, and victim services, have an instrumental role in facilitating survivor recovery, and this book offers best practices for delivering services in an affirming manner.

Amie R. Newins received her BA in Psychology from Mercer University and her MS and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Tech. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Durham VA Medical Center and post-doctoral fellowship at the VISN 6 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical
Center. She joined the Psychology Department at the University of Central Florida (UCF) as an Assistant Professor in 2016. She also serves as the Director of the Center for Research and Education on Sexual Trauma at UCF RESTORES and the Director of Clinical Services for the Rosengren Trauma Clinic
at UCF RESTORES.

Laura C. Wilson received her BS in Psychology and Sociology from Virginia Tech, her MA in General/Experimental Psychology from the College of William & Mary, and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Tech. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care
System. She joined the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Mary Washington in 2013 and is currently an Associate Professor. She also currently serves as the Director of the University of Mary Washington Safe Zone, a program that advocates for and educates about the LGBTQ+
community.