The Relationship between Perceived Social Support and Quality of Life in of Rape Women Referred to Legal Medicine Centers

Introduction: Nowadays, sexual assault and rape is one of the most serious problems inwomen s health. Many of these women have physical, sexual disorders and somatic, nervousand psychological reactions to the rape that can affect their quality of life after the rape.Assessment of quality of life can be helpful to identify, predict, and to assess variousdisorders of subsequent cares, especially perceived social support for these victims.Therefore, this study was conducted on the relationship between perceived social supportand quality of life in complainants of assault.Methods: This study is a descriptive study of 130 rape victims in Tehran city referred to theForensic medicine center on 2014 (in method of available sampling). After examining theinclusion and exclusion criteria, the demographic questionnaire was completed by women,then an envelope containing valid and reliable Questionnaire of the Perceived SocialSupport Scale (MSPSS) and Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) was sent to them andrequested them to answer it after six weeks of assault date. A conscious satisfaction wasobtained from all participants. Data was analyzed by SPSS software 21 and descriptivestatistics and Pearson and Fisher tests.Results: The findings showed that life s quality of women scores were very low in terms of mental health, social relations, environmental health and general public health and it was lower than average in terms of physical health. Social support scores from friends, a special person, and family was lower and general score of social support was low too(2.5±1.34). there is a significant relationship among physical health and social support from the family and general social support (p = 0.048). Also, there is a direct and significant relationship among mental health and all dimensions of social support (p = 0.008), social relationships and specific person support, friends and general social support (p = 0.004 and quality of life and general public health and all dimensions of social support (p = 0.002). There is no significant relationship among environment health and dimensions of social support.Conclusion: The results of the present study show that life s quality of victims in terms ofmental health, social relationships, quality of life and public and environment health andtheir perceived social support are also very low. On the other hand, the perceived socialsupport with all aspects of quality of life in victims of rape is quite evident. Therefore, theresults of this study can be used in counseling or education programs for social support ofsexual assault or rape women.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sexual Assault ، Sexual Victim ، Perceived Social Support ، Quality of Life