Date of Award

3-24-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Criminal Justice

First Advisor

Richard Lewis

Abstract

There is a well-established and growing body of research dedicated to understanding the influence of past victimization on physical health outcomes. Consequently, knowledge on identifying how past victimization types influence each domain of physical health and if these outcomes differ by gender and sexual orientation remains largely absent within literature. Therefore, the purpose of the following study is to expound upon victimization literature by examining the physical health outcomes associated with different victimization types and to examine how these factors differ by both gender and sexual orientation with regard to victimization type (personal, property, and stalking). Guided by both life-course and biosocial frameworks, this study examines if past experiences of victimization throughout the stages of the life-course of childhood and adulthood influenced outcomes of physical well-being, physical health nutritional habits, and RHR differently depending on the type of victimization by gender and sexual orientation. Specifically, using a college sample of 426 individuals from a southwestern university, this dissertation examines the influence of different types of victimization (e.g., sexual, physical, property, and stalking victimization) on the physical health outcomes of physical well-being, physical health nutritional habits, and resting heart rate (RHR). Findings indicated that an individual’s physical health is influenced differently depending on the type of victimization experience and gender.

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