Childhood abuse and premilitary sexual assault in male Navy recruits

Three samples of male U.S. Navy recruits (N = 7,850) were surveyed to determine whether a history of childhood physical abuse (CPA) or childhood sexual abuse (CSA) was predictive of premilitary rape of women and whether these relationships were mediated by alcohol problems and number of sex partners. In the 3 samples, 11.3%, 11.6%, and 9.9% of men reported committing premilitary rape. When demographic factors were controlled for, both CPA and CSA were independently and additively predictive of rape in each sample, with men who experienced both forms of abuse showing the highest risk of committing rape. Additional analyses revealed that alcohol problems and number of sex partners significantly mediated the relationship between childhood abuse (CPA and CSA) and rape perpetration.     

Prevention of sexual and physical assault toward women: A program for male athletes

This article presents a sexual and physical violence prevention program designed for college student athletes. The program has been in place for approximately 10 years and has demonstrated several uniquely positive results. Implications for prevention programs designed for high-risk groups and athletes in particular are presented as are the components and philosophy felt necessary for such programs. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Predictors of bystander behaviors and sexual assertiveness among college women attending a sexual assault prevention program

Identifying predictors of bystander behaviors and sexual assertiveness can help to inform sexual assault prevention programs on college campuses. College sorority members (N = 141) completed measures of sexual assault history, rape myth acceptance, bystander self‐efficacy, sexual assertiveness, and bystander behaviors before attending The Women's Program, which is a bystander‐based sexual assault prevention program. Regression analyses were conducted. Lower rape myth acceptance and greater bystander self‐efficacy predicted more engagement in bystander behaviors and higher sexual assertiveness. A total of 28 participants completed a 2‐week follow‐up survey that included measures of rape myth acceptance, bystander self‐efficacy, and sexual assertiveness. T‐test analyses were conducted. Rape myth acceptance was significantly lower among participants at 2‐week follow‐up compared to baseline. Implications for sexual assault prevention on college campuses are discussed.     

Vaginocervical cytology in victims of sexual assault

To investigate the role of vaginocervical smears in alleged victims of rape, we reviewed the findings in 4,220 consecutive rape victims between the years 1982 and 1989. These rape victims showed a slight increase in cellular abnormalities (1.18% vs. .93%) when compared to a group of 17,187 routine smears from an indigent population in 1989. While the differences in the spectrum of cellular abnormalities were not statistically significant, the increase in abnormal smears is remarkable because of the younger age distribution and lower risk factors for cervical cancer in this group of rape victims (41% of the victims were never seen at our institution before their evaluation for alleged rape and were most probably of higher socioeconomic status and at lower risk for cervical cancer than the indigent population served at our hospital). This finding may reflect the low incidence of vaginocervical cytology screening among the general population of which rape victims are a random sample. Fifty-seven percent of the rape victims with cellular abnormalities who were also regular patients at our hospital returned for follow-up by appropriate repeat smears or biopsies. This was lower than the 95% general follow-up rate of vaginocervical smear abnormalities among the rest of the population screened at our hospital. We detected spermatozoa in 56% of the smears from victims who were examined within three days of the alleged sexual assault. Cytology adds to the criminal investigation of rape cases as we detected spermatozoa in four of 16 semen-negative cases from a random sample of 53 cases evaluated by the state crime lab.     

The impact of men's alcohol consumption on perpetration of sexual aggression

Epidemiological and experimental literature examining the link between men's alcohol consumption and perpetration of sexual aggression is reviewed. The following are included in the review: (1) associational studies that examine the correlation between typical alcohol consumption and history of sexual aggression perpetration; (2) event-level studies that examine the impact of alcohol consumption at the time of sexual assault; and (3) experimental studies that consider the impact of administered alcohol on men's responses to a sexual aggression analog. Associational studies suggest a modest correlation between typical alcohol consumption and history of sexual aggression perpetration, but spurious effects may account for much of the relationship. Event-level studies offer mixed evidence in support of a relationship between alcohol consumption at the time of the sexually aggressive incident and severity of outcome. Experimental analog studies provide evidence of a proximal, pharmacological effect of alcohol on the likelihood of sexual aggression perpetration and more modest evidence supporting an alcohol expectancy effect. An integrative heuristic model of alcohol's distal and proximal effects on sexual aggression perpetration is proposed. Priorities for future research include greater specificity in measurement of sexual aggression, examination of alcohol's indirect effects on aggression through context, and consideration of mechanisms other than alcohol myopia in understanding alcohol's proximal effects.     

Factors predicting the type of tactics used to resist sexual assault: a prospective study of college women

The purpose of the current study was to examine how women's intentions, as well as psychological and situational factors, predicted the actual use of resistance tactics in response to a sexual assault situation over a 2-month follow-up period. Twenty-eight percent of the 378 undergraduate women who participated at the baseline assessment and returned for the follow-up session 8 weeks later were victimized over the interim period. The results suggested that women's reported use of verbally assertive tactics was predicted by the intention to use verbally assertive tactics, concern about injury, greater confidence, and feelings of being isolated or controlled by the perpetrator. The use of physically assertive tactics was predicted by increased severity of the attack, greater confidence, and feelings of being isolated or controlled by the perpetrator. The use of nonforceful tactics was predicted by intentions to use nonforceful tactics, increased self-consciousness, knowing the perpetrator prior to the assault, fears of losing the relationship with the perpetrator, and no history of childhood sexual victimization. These findings have important implications in sexual assault risk-reduction programming.     

Acute management of the sexual assault victim.

Sexual assault victims usually seek emergency medical care at urban hospitals. The incidence of over 52,000 cases a year reported by the FBI does not include instances in which the victim died, cases of statutory rape (victim below the age of consent), or cases not confirmed by the police. It is well known that sexual assault is one of the most unreported crimes. The incidence of this crime in affluent communities is unknown. Rape occurs in any community but nonhospital professional services may be more easily available in some.     

Social support and risk of sexual assault revictimization

Limited research on revictimization has examined the role of social support, which is known to affect sexual assault survivors' psychological recovery. Measuring social support also provides a more ecological approach to understanding revictimization, as it assesses the possible role of those in the survivors' environment. The current study examined how social support and disclosure experiences of 625 community‐based survivors related to their revictimization status over a 12‐month period. Results showed differences between revictimized and nonrevictimized survivors in terms of who they disclosed to about their assault. In addition, revictimized survivors received less informational and emotional support and more blaming reactions. Implications for future research regarding using an ecological approach to better understand revictimization risk are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

城市女性遭遇性侵犯的风险因素

目的:探索城市女性遭遇性侵犯的发生率及风险因素。方法:采用方便取样,在广东省3城市随遇选取1023名17～45岁女性,匿名填写人口学信息统计表、艾森克人格问卷(EPQ)、特质应付方式问卷(TCSQ)、社会支持自评量表(SSRS)、应激史问卷(THQ)。结果:在有效回应的946人中,报告有被性侵犯经历的有223人,占23.57%。创伤事件数量、受教育程度、神经质、消极应对方式、婚姻状况与性侵事件正相关(r=0.07～0.51,均P<0.05),而主观支持和支持利用度与性侵事件负相关(r=-0.12,-0.08,均P<0.05)。Logistic多因素回归分析表明,较多的创伤事件数量(OR=1.85～2.80)、较多受教育年数(OR=1.11～1.54)、主观支持水平较低(OR=0.86～0.99)的女性有较高的被性侵犯风险,这3个因素可共同解释40.24%的城市女性被性侵风险。结论:较高的教育水平、较多经历创伤事件及较低的主观支持程度可能是城市女性遭遇性侵犯的风险因素。     

Retrospective reports of college students' childhood problems

College students and a subsample of their mothers and fathers participated in a study examining their retrospective reports of childhood emotional and behavioral problems experienced by college students. College students and their mothers and fathers exhibited moderate correspondence in their recollection of internalizing and externalizing problems that college students experienced during their childhood. In contrast, college students tended to endorse significantly greater levels of both internalizing and externalizing problems relative to their mothers and fathers. Current psychological symptoms predicted the greater endorsement of childhood internalizing and externalizing problems by college students and the greater endorsement of college students' childhood internalizing problems by their mothers. Further, college students' current perceptions of their parents predicted their endorsement of childhood internalizing problems, and college students' current masculinity and femininity predicted their endorsement of childhood externalizing problems. Results of this study emphasized the importance of noting factors that may be related to retrospective reports.     

A longitudinal study of retirement in older male veterans

In this study, the authors examined the effect of retirement on psychological and physical symptoms in 404 older male veterans who were taking part in an ongoing longitudinal study. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze symptom trajectories from preretirement, peri-retirement, and postretirement periods in veterans with either lifetime full or partial posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma exposure only, or no traumatic exposure. As expected, the PTSD group experienced greater increases in psychological and physical symptoms during retirement, relative to the other groups. Retirement due to poor health in the PTSD group did not account for the findings regarding physical symptoms. Results indicate that clinicians should recognize and address the potential for older individuals with PTSD to experience difficulties during retirement.     

大学生群体对校园性骚扰的认知调查研究

大学生群体遭受校园性骚扰、性暴力事件不断增多,但校园性骚扰受害者对性骚扰的认知程度比较模糊。通过对南京市仙林大学城3所大学299名学生的问卷调查和部分遭受性骚扰的学生访谈发现,大学生群体对校园性骚扰已掌握一定的知识;校园性骚扰防治需要多渠道协作,建立健全性骚扰防范机制,为大学生成长成才努力营造良好的校园环境。     

A novel mouse model for assessment of male sexual function

A novel model to evaluate erectile, ejaculatory, and sexual behavior patterns in conscious mouse is presented. Corpus spongiosum of the penis (CSP) pressure was recorded by using telemetry and was correlated with erectile activity (penile elongations, cups, flips) during reflex induction and spontaneous erections in freely moving mice. CSP pressure was also recorded during mating tests (mounts, intromissions with erections, ejaculations), as well as non-contact tests with estrous female mice. Erectile events were quantified in four sexual contexts (spontaneous erections, spinal reflexes, in mating and non-contact tests). The data demonstrate that CSP pressure monitoring is a valid technique for assessment of sexual function in freely moving mice.     

Correlates of levels and patterns of positive life changes following sexual assault

This study builds on previous work suggesting that many survivors report positive life changes soon after a sexual assault and that those who retain those changes over time report the least distress 1 year post-assault (P. Frazier, A. Conlon, & T. Glaser, 2001). The purposes of this study were to assess correlates of early reports of positive life changes and individual trajectories of self-reported positive changes over time among female sexual assault survivors (n = 171) using hierarchical linear modeling. The factors most related to reporting positive life change soon after the assault were social support, approach and religious coping, and perceived control over the recovery process. Increases in these factors also were associated with increases in self-reported positive life changes over time. The relations between social support and positive change also were mediated by coping strategies and control appraisals, particularly perceived control over the recovery process.     

Causal dimensions of college students' perceptions of physical symptoms

According to attribution theory, controllability, locus, and stability are important dimensions underlying causal explanations. The extent to which these theoretical dimensions underlie lay explanations for physical symptoms is unclear. Accordingly, in this study, attributes relevant to the lay public were empirically derived using a multidimensional scaling (MDS) procedure. Undergraduates (N=194) provided similarity judgments for 18 potential causes of physical discomfort. The MDS analysis yielded a three-dimensional solution. The first dimension captured the distinction between physical and nonphysical causes. The second dimension distinguished either variable versus stable causes or those that are controllable versus uncontrollable by health care professionals. The third dimension differentiated causes under low versus high personal control. These findings empirically confirm the theoretically proposed dimensions of personal control and stability and suggest the utility of considering the physical/nonphysical and controllability by health care professional distinctions in future work on attributions in the health domain.     

Validation of the inventory of college students' recent life experiences in an American college sample

The factor structure and psychometric properties of the Inventory of College Students' Recent Life Experiences (ICSRLE; Kohn, Lafreniere, & Gurevich, 1990) were investigated in a sample of 216 college undergraduates. LISREL confirmatory factor analyses supported the generalizability of the 49-item one-factor and 37-item seven-factor solutions to our undergraduate sample. The coefficients alpha for the ICSRLE subscales were satisfactory. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine gender differences on the ICSRLE items and subscale scores. Concurrent validity evidence was shown by the positive and significant correlations of the ICSRLE subscales with related measures of daily hassles. Correlational analyses, LISREL confirmatory factor analysis, and exploratory maximum-likelihood factor analyses revealed that the ICSRLE subscales may not be contaminated by general psychological symptoms.