The Effectiveness of a Brief Early Intervention Protocol for Victims of Sexual Violence

Launched by UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID · Aug 1, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Sexual violence is associated with a high risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional distress, sleep disturbances, and difficulties in daily functioning. Despite this, few interventions are tailored specifically to the unique needs of women who have experienced sexual violence, particularly in acute phases. This study seeks to address that gap by adapting the ASSYST protocol-originally developed for trauma-related acute stress-and testing its utility in real-world clinical contexts.

The ASSYST-VS protocol includes 5 sessions of 90 minutes. The first session focuses...

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • - Be a woman aged 18 or older
• • Have experienced at least one episode of sexual violence within the past 6 months
• * Be currently receiving care from one of the following centers:
• • Servei d'Intervenció Especialitzada (SIE) in Garraf-Penedès or Baix Llobregat (Catalonia)
• • CAPSEM Norte or CAPSEM Sur (Madrid)
• • Present acute post-traumatic stress symptoms (score \> 0 on items 3.1 to 3.5 of the Trauma Screening Questionnaire - TSQ)
• • Be capable and willing to provide informed consent
• • Be fluent in Spanish or Catalan The intervention is offered under the assumption that women seeking support from specialized services are in need of early psychological intervention, and may benefit from a brief trauma-focused approach. This inclusive design seeks to maximize access to care and promote recovery in real-world settings.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • - Active substance abuse that would interfere with treatment participation
• • Intellectual or cognitive disability that prevents completion of the intervention protocol
• • Active suicidal ideation at the time of the intervention
• • Inability to communicate in Spanish or Catalan