Tropical Medicine & Surgery

Abstract

A Systematic Review of the Literature: Exploring Correlates of Sexual Assault and Homelessness

Lei Xu, Tracy Carpenter-Aeby, Victor G Aeby, Wenhua Lu, Laura Fisher, Melissa Hardee and Nina Rowson

Sexual assault is a traumatic event and the aftermath can be devastating. Victims of sexual assault may experience comorbid issues while trying to recover from this trauma, such as homelessness. Whether the victim is trying to escape an abusive home situation or is being sexually molested while serving in the armed forces, homelessness has been observed as a trend among those impacted. The purpose of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to provide an extensive summary of the impact that sexual assault has on an individual’s life and to also provide information regarding the number of articles pertaining to sexual assault and homelessness. A systematic approach was used to analyze the available literature; using keywords to help identify important articles that were pertinent to the topic. The outcome of the literature review revealed a total of 25 relevant articles relating to the keywords. This literature indicated that further education is imperative for caregivers or social workers to better understand the symptoms associated with adolescent homelessness and runaway-ism, as most homeless youth will also meet the criteria for psychiatric disorders.