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Abstract: 

Studies indicate the high rates of interpersonal violence in the life histories of working women, with increasing numbers of studies documenting negative effects of trauma on work performance and a growing variety of workplace initiatives to address them. Yet, to date, little is understood about the extent to which survivors disclose to co-workers and employers about their victimization experiences. The current study was exploratory and descriptive. Drawing upon the broader literature about disclosure of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, the results describe disclosure by victims to others at their workplace. Additionally, the study examines the extent to which a broader array of employed women (victims and non-victims) have received a disclosure from a co-worker and an assessment of how they reacted to that disclosure. Implications for workplace prevention and educational training initiatives are also discussed.

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Affiliations:  1: University of New Hampshire; 2: University of New Hampshire.