Widanaralalage B Kennath, Murphy Anthony D, Loughlin Casey
King's College London, London, UK.
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Int J Ment Health Syst. 2024 Apr 8;18(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s13033-024-00631-z.
Despite vast levels of underreporting, sexual assault remains an issue at scale in the UK, necessitating the presence of statutory and voluntary organisations in the support of victims. Understanding the experiences of all parties within this context is important for the resilience of support that can be provided at a systems level. This study examines the barriers faced by service providers when working with victims of sexual assault.
Semi-structured interviews took place with eleven professionals working in or in conjunction with a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Southeast England, which were subsequently analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
Five themes were identified exploring SARC staff's experiences with (i) communication breakdowns with external services; (ii) delivering support in an underfunded system; (iii) tailoring support to survivors' needs; (iv) the Criminal Justice System fails victims of sexual assault; and (v) reckoning with burnouts and vicarious trauma.
Significant gaps in UK service provision for sexual assault victims are identified, particularly within the criminal justice system, where legal and investigative processes are cited as retraumatizing. The results emphasize the urgency of enhanced training, coordination, resources, and trauma-informed practices across organizations to better serve victims and support overwhelmed providers. Prioritizing systemic improvements is crucial to address the complex needs of both victims and service professionals.
尽管大量性侵案件未被举报，但性侵在英国仍是一个严重的问题，这使得法定组织和志愿组织有必要为受害者提供支持。了解在此背景下所有相关方的经历对于在系统层面提供支持的恢复力至关重要。本研究考察了服务提供者在为性侵受害者提供服务时所面临的障碍。
对在英格兰东南部一家性侵犯转介中心（SARC）工作或与之合作的11名专业人员进行了半结构化访谈，随后采用归纳主题分析法进行分析。
确定了五个主题，探讨了SARC工作人员在以下方面的经历：（i）与外部服务机构的沟通障碍；（ii）在资金不足的系统中提供支持；（iii）根据幸存者的需求提供量身定制的支持；（iv）刑事司法系统让性侵受害者失望；（v）应对职业倦怠和替代性创伤。
研究发现英国在为性侵受害者提供服务方面存在重大差距，尤其是在刑事司法系统中，法律和调查程序被认为会再次造成创伤。研究结果强调，各组织迫切需要加强培训、协调、资源投入以及采用创伤知情做法，以更好地为受害者服务并支持不堪重负的服务提供者。优先进行系统性改进对于满足受害者和服务专业人员的复杂需求至关重要。
