On Friday 29 May 2026 at 14:00, Sofie Abildgaard Jacobsen defends her PhD dissertation entitled “Consequences of sexual assaults as to developing functional somatic disorders”. 

How are sexual assaults connected to later somatic symptoms and functional disorders? This is the focus of a new PhD project from Aarhus University, Health. 
Sexual assault is associated with an increased risk of both psychological and physical health problems, yet the mechanisms linking traumatic experiences, such as sexual assault, to persistent somatic symptoms remain insufficiently understood. A new PhD project from Aarhus University, Health, contributes new knowledge on how adult victims of sexual assault report physical symptoms and functional disorders.

The project draws on data from the Danish Study of Functional Disorders (DanFunD) cohort, which included 7,493 adults at the study beginning and 4,221 participants at follow‑up. The studies examine associations between sexual assault, somatic symptoms, and functional disorders, as well as the role of psychological and social factors. In addition, the project includes a feasibility study that explores opportunities and barriers for conducting more in‑depth clinical investigations in victims of sexual assault. Taken together, the project provides new insights into how sexual assault may leave lasting traces in the body and how research methods can be adapted to better understand and identify these associations.

The summary is written by the PhD student.

The defence is public and takes place in Auditorium J116-113 (J110), Aarhus University Hospital. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Sofie Abildgaard Jacobsen
Mail: sofjas@rm.dk 
Phone: +45 42325846

Read full press release