Home > Public Resources > ISTSS Briefing Papers > Briefing Paper: Sexual Assault and Harassment Briefing Paper: Sexual Assault and Harassment Download the Briefing Paper (PDF) Download the References (PDF) Briefing Paper Working Group Members Heather Littleton, Ph.D. East Carolina University, United States Naaemah Abrahams, Ph.D. University of the Western Cape, South Africa Mindy Bergman, Ph.D. Texas A & M University, United States Lucy Berliner, M.S.W. University of Washington, United States Margaret Blaustein, Ph.D. Center for Trauma Training, United States Judith Cohen, M.D. Drexel University, United States Emily Dworkin, Ph.D. University of Washington, United States Barbara Krahé, Ph.D. University of Potsdam, Germany Noemí Pereda, Ph.D. University of Barcelona, Spain Zoë Peterson, Ph.D. Indiana University, United States Afroditi Pina, Ph.D. University of Kent, United Kingdom Shireen Rizvi, Ph.D. Rutgers University, United States Terri Weaver, Ph.D. Saint Louis University, United States Michele Ybarra, Ph.D. Center for Innovative Public Health Research, United States Heidi Zinzow, Ph.D. Clemson University, United States Additional Contributors Brittany Goss, M.A., M.S. East Carolina University, United States Kayla Sall, B.A. East Carolina University, United States Rose L. Suita, M.A. Texas A & M University, United States Overview Survivors of childhood sexual abuse, unwanted sexual contact and rape experience elevated risk for multiple psychological disorders, including PTSD. Trauma-focused psychotherapeutic interventions have the strongest evidence base for the treatment of psychological distress associated with sexual assault and abuse. In response to recent events, ISTSS has developed a briefing paper on the mental and physical health impact sexual assault and harassment. The briefing paper, released at the ISTSS 34th Annual Meeting in a panel with the authors, reviews empirically supported treatments, common barriers to treatment seeking and global priorities for addressing sexual assault in the areas of policy, research and practice.