Survivors' Concerns During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of stay-at-home orders in March 2020, experts warned of the possible threat of increased interpersonal violence among individuals isolated with abusers. Researchers have sought to understand how the pandemic impacted victims primarily through the analysis of administrative data sources, such as hospital and police records. However, the preponderance of this data shows a decrease in formal help-seeking among victims during the pandemic, speaking to an impaired access to services but limiting our understanding of other ways in which the pandemic has affected survivors. To overcome these limitations, we examined data collected about users of the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline (NSAOH). Information was collected through staff based on retrospective recall following one-on-one chat sessions with 470 victims of sexual violence who contacted the NSAOH in the first six months of the pandemic and discussed COVID-19-related concerns. We qualitatively examined open-ended descriptions of COVID-19-related concerns and identified the four most common: (1) mental health concerns, (2) creation or exacerbation of an unsafe living situation, (3) not being able to access services, and (4) not having access to a mandatory reporter or trusted adult. These findings demonstrate the myriad ways in which the pandemic affected the lives of victims of sexual violence and can inform practices for services and practitioners to best meet the needs of survivors moving forward. Specifically, these findings highlight the need for more accessible mental health services and funding for sexual assault service providers, as well as the importance of safety planning, particularly in times of crisis.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Perceptions of Health and Well-Being Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents and Emerging Adults.

Purpose: The study purpose was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic may be differentially impacting the well-being of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth compared with their non-SGM counterparts. Specifically, we looked at perceptions of mental and physical health impact and relevant aspects of coping with the pandemic such as engagement in prosocial activities that might ultimately promote resilience. Methods: Survey data were collected between November 27, 2020, and December 11, 2020, from 990 adolescents and emerging adults aged 13-23 years. Participants were recruited through advertisements on Facebook and Instagram with an effort to overrecruit SGM youth. Questions asked youth about their perception of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their physical and mental health, the types of prosocial activities engaged in during the pandemic, and how they felt they were doing now versus before the pandemic. Results: SGM youth reported a significantly greater impact from the pandemic than non-SGM youth. Both SGM youth and cisgender heterosexual females reported greater impact on their mental health compared with cisgender heterosexual males, with cisgender sexual minority females and gender minority youth reporting the highest mental health impact. Gender minority youth also reported feeling less connected to their families and less safe at home as a result of the pandemic. Conclusion: Health professionals, educators, and advocates need to help assess SGM youth for negative impact from the pandemic and help them connect with other youth and support resources online as they move forward. Youth may also benefit from programs connecting them to volunteer work and neighbors.