Which outcome has a 26x higher likelihood for rape survivors?

• A. Abuse drugs (26x)
• B. Suffer from depression (3x)
• C. Contemplate suicide (4x)
• D. Suffer from PTSD (6x)

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is the relative risk of different adverse outcomes after rape. Among common outcomes studied, substance abuse shows the strongest association, with survivors being about 26 times more likely to report abusing drugs than those who haven’t experienced rape. This substantial increase reflects how trauma can drive coping mechanisms such as self-medication to numb distress, as well as how ongoing trauma symptoms and emotional pain can lead to reliance on substances. Other outcomes—depression, thoughts of suicide, and PTSD—also rise among survivors, but by smaller magnitudes in this data set (roughly 3x for depression, 4x for contemplating suicide, and 6x for PTSD). The much larger 26x figure for drug abuse makes it the best match for a response indicating the strongest relative risk. Clinically, this highlights the importance of screening for substance use in survivors and providing trauma-informed care that addresses both trauma-related symptoms and coping behaviors.