Sexual Assault History, Coping Strategies, and Perceived Political Stress in Sexual Minority Women.

Preliminary evidence has suggested that perceived political stress may be a relevant mental health outcome for investigation among sexual assault survivors. The present study focused on 195 cisgender sexual minority women who were predominantly White or Caucasian (71.3%), lesbian (46.7%) or bisexual (46.7%), and working class (44.1%). The participants completed an online survey in August 2024 and then again in February 2025. The survey consisted of measures of sexual assault history, coping strategies, and perceived political stress. The results demonstrated a total association such that an increase in sexual assault history predicted greater perceived political stress 6-months later. Additionally, sexual assault history was associated with political stress via maladaptive coping, but not adaptive coping. The findings suggest that the consequences of sexual assault extend beyond the traditional diagnostic framework to include other outcomes, such as perceived political stress. Furthermore, the results are consistent with prior literature that has supported maladaptive coping strategies, such as avoidance and rumination, as potential targets for psychotherapy.