Empowerment or Threat: Perceptions of Childhood Sexual Abuse in the #MeToo Era

The rise of the #MeToo movement has shed light on the prominence of sexual violence, and its victims who often remain silent. Despite increasing awareness, victims or survivors of sexual violence who disclose may be faced with negative reactions such as disbelief or blame. Such reactions extend to child victims of sexual abuse. This study aimed to shed light on gender differences in responses to sexual violence against a backdrop of #MeToo. Through an online survey ( N = 253) on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, we assessed participants’ exposure to and perception of the #MeToo movement. In addition, we measured proximity to a victim or perpetrator of sexual violence. The effect of these variables on participants’ response to a disclosure of childhood sexual abuse was examined. Results indicated that men are more likely to perceive the movement as threatening than women. Furthermore, a discrepancy in proximity to sexual violence emerged, with women more likely to know a victim and men more likely to know a perpetrator. In response to a disclosure of childhood sexual abuse, men were more likely to respond in a skeptical manner than women. Positive perceptions of the #MeToo movement translated into more supportive responses to a disclosure. Proximity to a victim of sexual violence did not impact how people responded to a disclosure, but proximity to a perpetrator was associated with a more negative response. Although the aim of this movement is to give a voice to victims of sexual violence, it may trigger a defensive response from men, which makes them more skeptical toward disclosures of victimization.

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Self-affirmation and False Allegations: The Effects on Responses to Disclosures of Sexual Victimization

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260520980387 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088626052098038

Author(s):

Melissa S. de Roos ◽

Daniel N. Jones

Keyword(s):

Sexual Violence ◽

Online Survey ◽

Sexual Victimization ◽

Sexual Misconduct ◽

News Article ◽

Child Victims ◽

False Allegations ◽

False Accusation ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk ◽

False Accusations

The rise of the #MeToo movement highlights the prevalence of sexual victimization and gives a voice to victims who may have been silent before. Nevertheless, survivors or victims of sexual violence who come forward may be blamed or not believed. These reactions are evident both with adult and child victims. Further, fears about false accusations of sexual misconduct may negatively impact responses to disclosures. This study aimed to examine gender differences in perceptions toward the #MeToo movement, and the extent to which these translate into a skeptical response to disclosure. Further, we wanted to explore whether proximity to false allegations of sexual violence was linked with more negative responses and whether use of self-affirmations may decrease the likelihood of such a response. Through an online survey ( N = 235) on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, we assessed participants’ exposure to and perceptions of the #MeToo movement. Further, we asked them about their proximity to sexual violence (victimization or perpetration) and to false allegations. Using a threat manipulation (news article about false accusation) and a self-affirmation exercise, we studied the effects of both variables on responses to disclosure. Results indicated that after reading an article about a false accusation, male participants were more likely to blame a victim of childhood sexual abuse and to perceive the abuse as less harmful, compared with female participants. Further, we found that self-affirmation was linked with more supportive responses to a disclosure. These findings highlight the threatening nature of false accusations of sexual violence for men, and how this threat may shape the narrative regarding sexual violence. Opportunities to use self-affirmation to change this narrative to a more supportive one are discussed.

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Does sexual violence contribute to elevated rates of anxiety and depression in females?

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291702005986 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 32 (6) ◽

pp. 991-996 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

D. M. FERGUSSON, ◽

N. R. SWAIN-CAMPBELL ◽

L. J. HORWOOD

Keyword(s):

Sexual Abuse ◽

Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Sexual Violence ◽

Internalizing Disorders ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Statistical Control ◽

Health And Development ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

Internalizing Disorder

Background. It is well documented that females have higher rates of internalizing disorders (anxiety, depression) than males. It is also well known that females have higher exposure to childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault. Recently, it has been proposed that the higher levels of internalizing disorders in females may be caused by their greater exposure to sexual violence.Method. Data were gathered as part of the Christchurch Health and Development Study. In this study a cohort of 1265 children born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1977 have been studied from birth to age 21 years. The measures collected included: major depression and anxiety, childhood sexual abuse and adolescent sexual assault.Results. Findings confirmed the established conclusion that internalizing disorders are over twice as common in females than males (ORs 2·2–2·7). In addition, it was found that females were exposed to higher rates of sexual violence than males (ORs 5·1–8·4). Statistical control for gender related differences in exposure to sexual violence reduced the associations between gender and anxiety and depression. Nonetheless, even after such control, gender was significantly (P<0·0001) related to both anxiety (OR = 1·8; 95% CI, 1·3–2·4) and depression (OR = 1·9; 95% CI, 1·4–2·3).Conclusions. Greater female exposure to sexual violence may be a factor that contributes to greater female susceptibility to internalizing disorders. However, even after adjustment for gender differences in exposure to sexual violence it is clear that a substantial relationship between gender and internalizing disorder persists.

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Dementia-Related Anxiety and General Illness Anxiety Differ Based on Familial Exposure to Persons With Dementia

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.907 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 283-284

Author(s):

Erika Fenstermacher ◽

Alexandria Ebert ◽

Natalie Shook ◽

Jerin Lee ◽

Jenna Wilson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Family Member ◽

Online Survey ◽

Critical Role ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Specific Form ◽

Mechanical Turk ◽

Dementia Worry ◽

Illness Anxiety ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk

Abstract Dementia-related anxiety is a specific form of illness anxiety that has been associated with familial exposure to persons with dementia (FMwDs). However, it is unknown whether FMwDs is specifically associated with dementia-related anxiety or whether it is also related to general illness anxiety, which has broader health implications. Furthermore, the level of exposure to family members with dementia may matter. Thus, we examined whether level of familial exposure to dementia was related to general illness anxiety and dementia-related anxiety. Participants (N = 401) aged 18-76 years (M = 39) recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk completed an online survey. Dementia exposure was split into three levels: (1) not knowing a friend/family member with dementia (55.2%); (2) knowing a family member with dementia (33.9%); and (3) providing care for a family member with dementia (10.9%). Familial exposure to dementia was related to both general illness anxiety and dementia-related anxiety. Participants who provided care for FMwDs had significantly higher levels of illness anxiety than both people who had a FMwD and people who did not (ps < .001). Similarly, participants who provided care for FMwDs had significantly higher levels of dementia-related anxiety than participants who did not have a FMwD (p < .01). Caregivers play a critical role in the quality of life of those with dementia, however it is clear that the potential psychological impact of such work is pervasive. This study provides a foundation to explore differences between illness anxiety and dementia worry, and examine interventions to reduce anxiety among caregivers.

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Autism and online recruiting methods: A comparison of Mechanical Turk and discussion forums

First Monday ◽

10.5210/fm.v24i9.10105 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amelia Anderson ◽

Nancy Everhart ◽

Juliann Woods

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Mechanical Turk ◽

Discussion Forums ◽

Success Rates ◽

Sampling Frame ◽

Online Discussion Forums ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Stakeholder Input ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk

In a study by a team at the intersection of information and communication sciences and disorders, researchers worked to design an interactive, online professional development system for academic librarians to better serve students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In creating this program, it was imperative to have stakeholder input and support; recruiting members of this population, students with ASD, was critical. Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and online discussion forums, including Reddit, were used for recruitment for an online survey. While there was some overlap in results, there were also marked differences in responses based on online sampling frame. This paper details the online methods used for recruiting members of this community, and compares and contrasts success rates, challenges, and numbers associated with each method.

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Cancer treatment experiences among survivors of childhood sexual abuse: A qualitative investigation of triggers and reactions to cumulative trauma

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s147895151700075x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. 767-776 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Julie B. Schnur ◽

Matthew J. Dillon ◽

Rachel E. Goldsmith ◽

Guy H. Montgomery

Keyword(s):

Sexual Abuse ◽

Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Online Survey ◽

Past Research ◽

The United States ◽

Amazon Mechanical Turk ◽

Survey Study ◽

Care Providers ◽

Cumulative Trauma

ABSTRACTObjective:Some 25% of women and 8% of men in the United States have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA) before the age of 18. For these individuals, healthcare visits and interactions can be retraumatizing due to perceived similarities to past abuse (e.g., pain, undressing, lack of control). However, no prior studies have provided formal qualitative analyses regarding CSA survivors' reactions to cancer treatment. Therefore, our study's objective was to identify key themes pertaining to CSA survivors' cancer treatment experiences.Method:Male and female members of the Amazon Mechanical Turk (N= 159, mean age = 44.27 years,SD= 10.02) participated in an anonymous online survey study. The inclusion criteria included reporting: history of CSA; a diagnosis of colorectal, gynecological, breast, or skin cancer; and experience of triggers and/or difficulties during cancer treatment. Participants' responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.Results:We identified two primary themes describing CSA survivors' experiences: Theme 1: treatment-related triggers (key subthemes: procedure-related, provider-related, and emotional triggers); and Theme 2: questioning the meaning of cumulative trauma (e.g., “Why me again?”).Significance of results:For CSA survivors, cancer and its treatment can trigger thoughts and emotions associated with the original abuse as well as negative evaluations of themselves, the world, and their future. Our findings are consistent with past research on CSA survivors' experiences in non-cancer healthcare settings and add to the literature by highlighting their struggles during cancer treatment. The present results can inform further research on trauma survivors' reactions to cancer treatment and give cancer care providers the context they need to understand and sensitively serve a substantial yet often overlooked patient group.

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Factors associated with female students’ past year experience of sexual violence in South African public higher education settings: A cross-sectional study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0260886 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. e0260886

Author(s):

Mercilene T. Machisa ◽

Esnat D. Chirwa ◽

Pinky Mahlangu ◽

Yandisa Sikweyiya ◽

Ncediswa Nunze ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Sexual Abuse ◽

Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽

Sexual Violence ◽

South African ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Female Students ◽

Vulnerability Factors ◽

Sexual Behaviours ◽

Risky Sexual Behaviours

Background Intimate partner sexual violence and non-partner rape experiences are widely reported by female students in South African higher education institutions, as they are globally. However, limited research has focused on investigating vulnerability factors, which is vital for informing interventions. Objective To describe the factors and inter-relationships associated with female students’ increased vulnerability to past year experience of partner sexual violence and non-partner rape in South African higher education settings. Methods We interviewed 1293 female students, i.e., 519 students in six Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college campuses and 774 students at three university campuses. Participants were volunteers aged 18–30. The measured vulnerability factors included childhood sexual abuse, other trauma, mental ill-health, risky sexual behaviours, food insecurity, partner violence, and controlling behaviours. We used bivariate analysis, logistic regression, and structural equation modelling methods. Results Twenty percent of participants experienced past-year sexual violence (17% partner sexual violence and 7.5% non-partner rape). Childhood sexual abuse had direct effects on experiencing past year sexual violence and physical, emotional partner violence or controlling behaviours. Risky sexual behaviours mediated the relationships of childhood sexual abuse or harmful alcohol use and past-year sexual violence experience. Mental ill-health mediated the relationships between childhood sexual abuse, other traumatic exposures, food insecurity, physical, emotional partner violence or controlling behaviours, and past-year partner sexual violence or non-partner rape experience. Conclusions Risky sexual behaviours, gender inequitable relationship dynamics, mental ill-health, and food insecurity are related and amenable vulnerability factors associated with female students’ sexual violence experiences. Therefore, addressing these through comprehensive campus interventions, which are implemented when students first enrol in higher education and are most vulnerable to sexual violence, is critical. Society-wide sexual violence prevention is also imperative.

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Physical and sexual violence, childhood sexual abuse and HIV/STI risk behaviour among alcohol-using women engaged in sex work in Mongolia

Global Public Health ◽

10.1080/17441692.2014.976240 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 88-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Angela M. Parcesepe ◽

Aira Toivgoo ◽

Mingway Chang ◽

Marion Riedel ◽

Catherine Carlson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexual Abuse ◽

Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽

Sexual Violence ◽

Sex Work ◽

Risk Behaviour

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Patients’ knowledge about pharmacists, technicians, and physicians

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy ◽

10.1093/ajhp/zxz169 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 76 (18) ◽

pp. 1420-1425

Author(s):

Evan K Perrault ◽

Jenny L Beal

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Mechanical Turk ◽

The Internet ◽

Drug Education ◽

Medical Doctors ◽

Positive Health ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Pharmacy Profession ◽

Pharmacy Technicians ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk

Abstract Purpose Including pharmacists within care teams can lead to positive health benefits, yet pharmacists remain underused. Misperceptions about pharmacists’ duties and expertise compared to physicians’ may contribute. This study sought to determine how well patients know the differences between pharmacists, technicians, and physicians regarding their duties and levels of education about medications. It also investigated how patients’ perceptions affect their likelihood to initiate interactions with pharmacists, as well as reasons why they choose not to speak with pharmacists. Methods An online survey of 477 U.S. adults was administered via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Participants’ knowledge of pharmacists’, pharmacy technicians’, and medical doctors’ education and expertise were measured. Logistic regression determined whether patients’ attitudes toward pharmacists predicted patient–pharmacist interactions. Participants’ reasons for choosing to not talk to pharmacists about their medications were assessed via an open-ended response. Results Patients generally know the duties pharmacists can perform compared to duties of technicians, but they incorrectly believe that physicians have more years of drug education than do pharmacists. Patients who have more positive attitudes toward pharmacists versus doctors are more likely to initiate interactions with pharmacists. Not seeing a need to interact, believing their doctors told them everything, or their ability to find information elsewhere (e.g., the Internet) were the 3 most cited reasons for not interacting with a pharmacist. Conclusion Reaching across disciplinary lines to colleagues in health communication may assist the pharmacy profession in finding ways to increase patients’ knowledge and perceptions about the important role pharmacists can play, thereby increasing the likelihood of patients wanting to interact with pharmacists.

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How the operationalization of exposure impacts studies on direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing ◽

10.1108/ijphm-03-2019-0021 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 409-424

Author(s):

Melanie R. Savelli

Keyword(s):

Prescription Drugs ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mechanical Turk ◽

High Exposure ◽

Content Type ◽

Direct To Consumer ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk ◽

Direct To Consumer Advertising

Purpose Without having a shared operationalization of what constitutes a direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) exposure, it is impossible to accurately generalize findings about their effects. First, it needs to be established how the variables involved in exposures impact outcomes. This will allow for more accurate operationalizations. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 216 participants were recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned into one of four conditions to take an online survey. A 2 × 2 experiment (active/passive attention × low/high exposure) was conducted to determine if the level of attention, otherwise known as attentiveness, and the number of exposures impacted preferences for a fictitious prescription sleep aid. Findings Results indicated a significant difference among active and passive conditions such that active exposures resulted in stronger positive preferences. Research limitations/implications Studies using different operationalizations should not be aggregated for generalizations about the effects of DTCA of prescription drugs. Originality/value This paper urges researchers to clearly operationalize their definitions for “exposure” and to be hesitant about generalizing findings studies using different definitions.

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Validating the demographic, political, psychological, and experimental results obtained from a new source of online survey respondents

Research & Politics ◽

10.1177/2053168018822174 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 205316801882217 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Alexander Coppock ◽

Oliver A. McClellan

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Mechanical Turk ◽

Alternative Source ◽

Data Collection Strategy ◽

Conducting Research ◽

Social Scientific ◽

Experimental Treatments ◽

Experimental Findings ◽

Survey Responses ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk

Researchers have increasingly turned to online convenience samples as sources of survey responses that are easy and inexpensive to collect. As reliance on these sources has grown, so too have concerns about the use of convenience samples in general and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk in particular. We distinguish between “external validity” and theoretical relevance, with the latter being the more important justification for any data collection strategy. We explore an alternative source of online convenience samples, the Lucid Fulcrum Exchange, and assess its suitability for online survey experimental research. Our point of departure is the 2012 study by Berinsky, Huber, and Lenz that compares Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to US national probability samples in terms of respondent characteristics and treatment effect estimates. We replicate these same analyses using a large sample of survey responses on the Lucid platform. Our results indicate that demographic and experimental findings on Lucid track well with US national benchmarks, with the exception of experimental treatments that aim to dispel the “death panel” rumor regarding the Affordable Care Act. We conclude that subjects recruited from the Lucid platform constitute a sample that is suitable for evaluating many social scientific theories, and can serve as a drop-in replacement for many scholars currently conducting research on Mechanical Turk or other similar platforms.

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