scholarly journals Exploring Definitions and Prevalence of Verbal Sexual Coercion and Its Relationship to Consent to Unwanted Sex: Implications for Affirmative Consent Standards on College Campuses

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandie Pugh ◽  
Patricia Becker
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Coercion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Sexual Scripts ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unwanted Sex ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Affirmative Consent

Campus sexual assault is a pervasive issue impacting the well-being, quality of life, and education of all students. There have been many recent efforts to prevent and address campus sexual assault, most notably the adoption of affirmative consent standards. (1) Efforts to address sexual assault on college campuses through an affirmative consent standard could be undermined by traditional gender norms, sexual scripts, and the power dynamics inherent in heterosexual relations, which lead to situations in which many women provide consent to unwanted sex. (2) Studies indicate that college women are likely to experience verbal sexual coercion, yet research has failed to come to a consensus on how to define, operationalize, and study verbal sexual coercion. (3) Research on sexual consent is also lacking, in particular as it relates to consent to unwanted sex as a result of the presence of verbal sexual coercion. (4) This article discusses how multiple forms of unwanted sex can be conceptually examined. (5) Policy implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Campus Sexual Assault: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Research From 2000 to 2015

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Fedina ◽  
Jennifer Lynne Holmes ◽  
Bethany L. Backes
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Coercion ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sexual Contact ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Unwanted Sexual Contact

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem on university and college campuses in the United States that has garnered growing national attention, particularly in the past year. This is the first study to systematically review and synthesize prevalence findings from studies on campus sexual assault (CSA) published since 2000 ( n = 34). The range of prevalence findings for specific forms of sexual victimization on college campuses (i.e., forcible rape, unwanted sexual contact, incapacitated rape, sexual coercion, and studies’ broad definitions of CSA/rape) is provided, and methodological strengths and limitations in the empirical body of research on CSA are discussed. Prevalence findings, research design, methodology, sampling techniques, and measures, including the forms of sexual victimization measured, are presented and evaluated across studies. Findings suggest that unwanted sexual contact appears to be most prevalent on college campuses, including sexual coercion, followed by incapacitated rape, and completed or attempted forcible rape. Additionally, several studies measured broad constructs of sexual assault that typically include combined forms of college-based sexual victimization (i.e., forcible completed or attempted rape, unwanted sexual contact, and/or sexual coercion). Extensive variability exists within findings for each type of sexual victimization measured, including those that broadly measure sexual assault, which is largely explained by differences in sampling strategies and overall study designs as well as measures of sexual assault used in studies. Implications for findings and recommendations for future research on the prevalence of college-based sexual victimization are provided.

The Differential Risk Factors of Physically Forced and Alcohol- or Other Drug-Enabled Sexual Assault Among University Women

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 302-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher P. Krebs ◽  
Christine H. Lindquist ◽  
Tara D. Warner ◽  
Bonnie S. Fisher ◽  
Sandra L. Martin
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
University Women ◽  
Undergraduate Women ◽  
Reported Data ◽  
Lifestyle Activities ◽  
Very High

The Campus Sexual Assault Study examined whether undergraduate women’s victimization experiences prior to college and lifestyle activities during college were differentially associated with the type of sexual assault they experienced: physically forced sexual assault and incapacitated sexual assault. Self-reported data collected using a Web-based survey administered to more than 5,000 undergraduate women at two large public universities indicated that victimization experiences before college were differentially associated with the risk of experiencing these two types of sexual assault during college. Women who experienced forced sexual assault before college were at very high risk of experiencing forced sexual assault during college (odds ratio [OR] = 6.6). Women who experienced incapacitated sexual assault before college were also at very high risk of experiencing incapacitated sexual assault during college (OR = 3.7). Moreover, women’s substance use behaviors during college, including getting drunk and using marijuana, were strongly associated with experiencing incapacitated sexual assault but were not associated with experiencing forced sexual assault. Implications for education and prevention programs, as well as future research directions, are discussed.

Campus Sexual Assault Policies: A Feminist Policy Analysis Framework

Affilia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-412
Author(s):  
Molly C. Driessen
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Civil Rights ◽  
Policy Analysis ◽  
Task Force ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mandatory Reporting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Analysis Framework ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault

The purpose of this study is to conduct a feminist-based policy analysis to examine the role of power in campus sexual assault policies. This research investigated the role of power in campus policies that are in response to addressing sexual assault using a feminist policy analysis framework. McPhail’s (2003) Feminist-Based Policy Analysis Framework was used to study the policy-setting documents authored by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights and White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault that was established in 2014. Together, these documents encompass the federal guidelines for college campuses’ compliance, rights, and responsibility under Title IX. The Framework provides four questions to consider when analyzing the role of power within a policy. Several strengths of the policies are identified as well as tension between the power of institutions versus the power of student survivors, specifically in mandatory reporting policies. Implications for social work research, practice, and policy are explored along with identifying the study’s limitations and future research suggestions.

Integrating Sexual Assault Resistance, Bystander, and Men’s Social Norms Strategies to Prevent Sexual Violence on College Campuses: A Call to Action

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 811-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay M. Orchowski ◽  
Katie M. Edwards ◽  
Jocelyn A. Hollander ◽  
Victoria L. Banyard ◽  
Charlene Y. Senn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Sexual Assault Prevention ◽  
Common Goal ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
The Common ◽  
Assault Prevention ◽  
College Sexual Assault ◽  
Prevention Approach

Sexual assault prevention on college campuses often includes programming directed at men, women, and all students as potential bystanders. Problematically, specific types of sexual assault prevention are often implemented on campuses in isolation, and sexual assault risk reduction and resistance education programs for women are rarely integrated with other approaches. With increasing focus on the problem of sexual assault on college campuses, it is timely to envision a comprehensive and interconnected prevention approach. Implementing comprehensive prevention packages that draw upon the strengths of existing approaches is necessary to move toward the common goal of making college campuses safer for all students. Toward this goal, this commentary unpacks the models and mechanisms on which current college sexual assault prevention strategies are based with the goal of examining the ways that they can better intersect. The authors conclude with suggestions for envisioning a more synthesized approach to campus sexual assault prevention, which includes integrated administration of programs for women, men, and all students as potential bystanders on college campuses.

scholarly journals The Benefits and Challenges of a Regional Network to Address Campus Sexual Assault

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 26S-35S
Author(s):  
Patrick McGann ◽  
Jane E. Palmer ◽  
Greerlin Thomas ◽  
Lauren Ricci ◽  
Leah Haake
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Student Leadership ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Regional Network ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Task Forces

To respond to the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses, many postsecondary institutions have instituted campus climate surveys, strengthened sexual assault misconduct policies, and created sexual assault task forces to coordinate entities within the institutional setting. However, few colleges and universities have engaged with regional networks to exchange resources, research, and innovative practices across campuses. This exploratory study applies the theoretical framework of social exchange theory to examine the necessary infrastructure for a regional network to enhance campus policies and prevention programs related to sexual assault, and the efficacy of providing formal and informal opportunities for information sharing. Interviews were conducted with 10 staff and students from seven of the nine campuses in the network. The sample includes representatives from one large public university, two historically Black colleges, a community college, and three private universities, one of which is faith based. Results indicate that there are several benefits and a few challenges for college campuses that participate in a regional network. Primary benefits include resource and information exchange, as well as new opportunities for student leadership and collaboration across campuses. Some challenges include staff turnover and limited time to devote to the network, as well as distance between some campuses. Based on these findings, it is recommended that universities consider building informal or formal alliances with regional colleges for mutual benefit.

scholarly journals The Use of Drinking and Sexual Assault Protective Behavioral Strategies: Associations With Sexual Victimization and Revictimization Among College Women

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth C. Neilson ◽  
Amanda K. Gilmore ◽  
Hanna T. Pinsky ◽  
Molly E. Shepard ◽  
Melissa A. Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
College Women ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Behavioral Strategies ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Campus Sexual Assault ◽  
Protective Behavioral Strategies ◽  
Undergraduate Women ◽  
College Sexual Assault

Despite consistent high rates of campus sexual assault, little research has examined effective strategies to decrease sexual assault victimization. Sexual assault and drinking protective behavioral strategies (PBS) may be important means of reducing sexual assault victimization risk on college campuses but need further examination. The current study examined the relationship among sexual assault in childhood, before college, and since college to evaluate the mitigating roles of both sexual assault PBS and drinking PBS on sexual assault victimization. Participants ( n = 620) were undergraduate women, 18 to 20 years old. The current study was a cross-sectional online survey assessing participants’ sexual assault PBS and sexual assault history. Sexual assault history was positively associated with future sexual assault experiences. Pre-college sexual assault was associated with increased since-college sexual assault and increased drinks per week. Since-college adolescent/adult sexual assault was associated with less use of sexual assault PBS. These findings suggest that PBS may have an important role in sexual assault victimization and future research should examine their usefulness in risk reduction programs for college women.

scholarly journals Evaluating The Economic Impact Of Marriage Versus Cohabitation In Same-Sex Couples Age 50+

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 876-876
Author(s):  
Setarreh Massihzadegan ◽  
Jan Mutchler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Same Sex Couples

Abstract Utilizing the first set of 5-year American Community Survey data available since the United States’ legalization of same-sex marriage in mid-2015, this poster investigates the economic security of older adults (age 50+) in same-sex marriages compared to those in same-sex partnerships who are cohabiting but not married. Viewed through the lens of cumulative disadvantage theory, we consider differences in the economic circumstances of same-sex couples by gender and by geographic location. Findings point to gender differences in economic well-being, but relatively few differences based on marital status. For example, rates of low income are somewhat higher among female couples than among their male counterparts, but marital status differences are not substantial. These findings suggest that the benefits of being married that have long been recognized among older adults may not extend equally to same-sex couples. Findings are discussed with respect to the emerging salience of marriage within the LGBTQ older community, future research opportunities, and important policy implications.

Judgments about sexual assault vary depending on whether an affirmative consent policy or a “no means no” policy is applied

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica K. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Verbal Communication ◽  
Sexual Scripts ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Relationship Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Affirmative Consent

Purpose Affirmative consent (AC) policies require potential sexual partners to clearly and positively confirm that they want to engage in sexual behavior – in contrast to standard “no means no” policies, which typically define consent through resistance. AC policies might not be effective because they do not align well with typical scripts of how consent is given in practice. This study aims to compare participants’ judgments as to what constitutes sexual assault, using either an AC policy or a standard “no means no” policy. Design/methodology/approach Participants read 16 scenarios depicting various male-female sexual encounters and applied either an AC or a standard “no means no” policy to determine whether the encounter was consensual. Findings When an AC policy was used, participants were more likely to judge the scenario as sexual assault. Aspects of the scenario (which reflect AC policy criteria), such as the type of communication (verbal or nonverbal), clarity of communication (clear or unclear) and resistance (high or low) also affected judgments of the scenario. Relationship type (stranger vs acquaintance) did not affect judgments. Students were more likely to perceive the scenarios as sexual assault than community members; they also perceived differences between scenarios based on verbal communication and clarity more than community members. Finally, there was no main effect of participant gender, however, men perceived differences between scenarios based on verbal communication type, whereas women did not. Research limitations/implications Findings indicate that participants are generally able to apply AC policies correctly, even though AC criteria do not generally align with common sexual scripts. Originality/value This is the first study known to test whether decision-makers can properly apply criteria outlined in AC policies and whether the application of these policies affect decisions-makers judgments as to whether a sexual encounter is consensual or assault.

Reporting Sexual Assault: Survivors’ Satisfaction With Sexual Assault Response Personnel

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 1362-1382
Author(s):  
Amy L. Henninger ◽  
Michiko Iwasaki ◽  
Marianna E. Carlucci ◽  
Jeffrey M. Lating
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Cultural Sensitivity ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Patrol Officers ◽  
Office Staff ◽  
Sexual Assault Survivors ◽  
Victim Advocates ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Assault Survivors

Although jurisdictions have attempted to improve their response procedures, sexual assault cases are often insufficiently investigated. This study examines the survey responses of 460 female sexual assault survivors regarding their experiences with response personnel. Overall satisfaction with response services was 66.1%. Victim advocates and forensic nurses received higher satisfaction ratings than did patrol officers, detectives, and State’s Attorney’s Office staff. The present study also found that 65% of the variance in overall satisfaction was accounted for by four personnel behaviors: respectful treatment, clearly explained procedures, believed their stories, and demonstrated cultural sensitivity. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Predictors of Victim–Perpetrator Relationship Stability Following a Sexual Assault: A Brief Report

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie M. Edwards ◽  
Megan C. Kearns ◽  
Christine A. Gidycz ◽  
Karen S. Calhoun
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Sexual Coercion ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Relationship Stability ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Perpetrator Blame ◽  
Trauma Symptomatology

The researchers assessed the predictors of victim–perpetrator relationship stability following a sexual assault. Participants included 254 women sexually assaulted by a friend, casual dating partner, or steady dating partner. Results suggested that most victim–perpetrator relationships (75%) continued following the sexual assault. Greater trauma symptomatology, less perpetrator blame, and nondisclosure of the assault by victims predicted relationship continuation with the perpetrator. Additionally, the odds of continuing the relationship were greater following acts of sexual coercion than following acts of completed rape. Close relationships (steady dating partner) were more likely to continue following the sexual assault than less close relationships (friends and casual dating partners). Unexpectedly, the odds of relationship stability were greater for women without histories of childhood sexual abuse than women with histories of childhood sexual abuse. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.

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