| A majority of inpatients in acute psychiatric settings have histories of trauma, especially sexual violence. The purpose of this content analysis review of the periodical literature was to gain a better understanding of the issues faced by involuntarily held female survivors of rape and sexual assault within acute inpatient psychiatric settings and explore what existing inpatient trauma-informed training was in place. Often times, the external coping mechanisms for these individuals appear in the form of self-injurious behaviors, which are then responded to by professionals with the mindset of impending suicide. As the content analysis of the 30 reviewed studies demonstrated, the lack of education and training regarding the connections between sexual assault and coping mechanisms continues to be reflected in the modern interventions utilized within psychiatric settings. For this reason, a paradigm shift is warranted, so as to reduce the risk of re-traumatization for rape and sexual assault survivors under involuntary hold, within these institutions. |
