"I have heard horrible stories . . .": rape victim advocates' perceptions of the revictimization of rape victims by the police and medical system.

This study explores rape victim advocates' perceptions of the revictimization of rape victims by the police and medical system. Most of the previous research on revictimization focuses on either victims or members of the criminal justice, legal, medical, or mental health systems. The current study provides a more complete picture of victims' possible revictimization by the police and medical system through in-depth interviews with 47 rape victim advocates in four states who had direct experience with police or medical professionals. Rape victim advocates describe the power wielded by the police and medical system to revictimize rape victims and their own role in attempting to mitigate this revictimization.