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

Gender differences in college student physical activity, and campus recreational facility use, and comfort

Objective: To examine disparities in physical activity, campus recreation facility (CRF) use, and CRF comfort of college students. Methods: Students (n = 319) responded to an online survey that assessed their demographics, physical activity behaviors, CRF use, comfort using CRFs, as well as reasons for discomfort, and strategies used to feel comfortable. Results: Women reported less muscle-strengthening activity, lower frequency of weight use and informal sport participation, and higher frequency of cardio and group exercise participation. Women also reported lower comfort using CRFs, particularly weights areas. The presence of men, a perceived lack of skill (competence), and self-consciousness/judgement emerged as dominant themes explaining women's discomfort. Disassociation using music, going with friends for social support, knowledge acquisition regarding equipment, and clothing selection emerged as strategies used to increase comfort. Conclusions: Meaningful differences in physical activity behaviors, facility use, and comfort using facilities emerged. Administrators should consider changing environments and/or policies to provide equitable physical activity opportunities.

Examining Women's Sexual Assault Victimization Experiences since Entering College via Two Behavioral Assessments

Measuring sexual assault experiences is considered a methodological challenge in survey research. Researchers can test the validity of sexual assault measures by comparing responses to different, albeit related, measures of sexual assault to determine if they identify similar groups of women. The goal of this study was to compare two measures of sexual assault victimization to determine if women report experiencing sexual assault in both assessments. Cisgender college women (n = 902) completed two separate measures of sexual victimization: the Sexual Coercion Inventory (SCI) and Sexual Experience Survey-Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV). Responses to both measures were coded to identify different sexual assault experiences (i.e., unwanted touching, attempted, and completed oral, vaginal, or anal rape) resulting from verbal coercion, threats of force, and use of force since enrolling in the university. Results suggested the SES-SFV produced higher overall rates of sexual assault experiences than the SCI. Specifically, the SES-SFV elicited more non-consensual sexual experiences resulting from threats and use of force, whereas the SCI elicited more non-consensual sexual experiences resulting from verbal coercion. Findings suggested discrepant responding across the two measures. Development of comprehensive sexual assault measures that fully capture women's victimization experiences is warranted.

Associations Between Sexual Assault Victimization and Risky Drinking Within College Women's Personal Networks

Within a sample of college women, this study assessed if an individual's (i.e., ego) history of sexual assault was related to her connecting with risky drinkers, and if her social contacts (i.e., alters) who had experienced sexual assault were also people who engaged in risky drinking. Results suggest ego's history of sexual assault was associated with her connecting to risky drinkers. Generally, egos reported alters who experienced sexual assault were more likely to drink in higher quantities, except when the ego and alter both had experienced sexual assault. Findings highlight the importance of social connections for survivors of sexual assault.

Sexual violence among male sexual minority college students in Guangdong, China: a cross-sectional study

This study aims to provide an estimate of lifetime sexual violence (SV) among male sexual minority college students with differing sexual orientations and contribute to the evidence base on the association between SV experience, stress, and depressive symptoms. The data stemmed from the 2019 Internet Survey on HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health in Colleges and Universities in Guangdong province, China. Lifetime SV victimisation (including non-sexual harassment, physical contact sexual harassment, and rape), level of stress, and depressive symptoms were examined among 1441 male sexual minority students from 37 colleges and universities in Guangdong province. Linear regression analyses were adopted to examine associations between independent variables and depressive symptoms. 23.4% (337/1441) of the participants reported lifetime non-contact harassment, while 8.8% (127/1441) and 2.4% (35/1441) of the participants reported physical contact sexual harassment and rape, respectively. Homosexual students reported the most physical contact sexual harassment (48/127, 37.8%) and bisexual students reported the most non-contact sexual harassment (102/337, 30.3%) and rape (10/35, 28.6%) among sexual minority participants; 85.6% participants reported high levels of stress. The experience of SV and the level of stress were significantly associated with depressive symptoms, and stress completely mediated the path from SV experiences to depressive symptoms. This study specifically showcases SV as a pervasive problem affecting Chinese male sexual minority college students and highlighting the severity of stress and depressive symptoms among this population. These findings emphasise the urgency of implementing effective practices and policies to address SV and depressive symptoms among male sexual minority college students in China.

"I Felt Powerful and Confident": Women's Use of What They Learned in Feminist Sexual Assault Resistance Education

Research on women's response and resistance to sexual assault risk has informed the development of interventions to improve women's ability to effectively resist sexual assault. However, little is known about how women anticipate, navigate, and respond to risk following participation in sexual assault risk reduction/resistance education programs. In this study, we examined the information and skills used by university women who had recently completed the effective Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) sexual assault resistance program. We analyzed responses from 445 women using descriptive statistics and content and thematic analysis. Just under half (42%) of women used at least one EAAA strategy in the following 2 years. Most women reported that their efforts were successful in stopping an attack. Women's responses included strategies both to preempt sexual assault threat (e.g., avoiding men who display danger cues, communicating assertively about wanted and unwanted sex) and to interrupt or avoid an imminent threat (e.g., yelling, hitting, and kicking). Women's use of resistance strategies worked to subvert gendered social norms and socialization. The results suggest that counter to criticisms that risk reduction/resistance programs blame women or make them responsible for stopping men's violence, women who took EAAA typically positioned themselves as agentic and empowered in their resistance.

Validity and reliability of the gender equity scale in nursing education

Equity is an emerging issue across all sectors of society, and one of the frequently raised concerns in nursing education is gender inequity. An accurate assessment appears to be a key component in creating an environment of gender equity in nursing education. This study aimed to develop a scale of gender equity in nursing education and establish its validity and reliability. In total, 341 senior nursing students participated in the psychometric evaluation of the Gender Equity Scale in Nursing Education. This psychometric evaluation revealed that the 4-subdomain (personal experience of gender inequity, perceptions of gender roles, gender discrimination, and gender biases in class), 23-item measure possesses both good reliability and validity, as well as a good level of internal consistency. The Gender Equity Scale in Nursing Education was developed as a self-report questionnaire for both female and male students and considers gender role stereotypes, gender-biased educational climates, gender discrimination, and gender inequity in nursing education.

Friends-Based Protective Strategies and Unwanted Sexual Experiences: A Daily Diary Examination of First Year College Women

Risk for unwanted sexual experiences can emerge in social contexts-the same contexts that early college women navigate with their friends. Though friends naturally engage in prevention strategies, less is known about how capable guardianship influences risk. Using multilevel structural equation modeling, the present study examined guardianship at the person- and situation-level. First year college women (N = 132) completed eight weekends of daily surveys. We examined whether guardianship (e.g., more friends present, greater proportion of female friends, no intoxicated friends) would reduce unwanted sexual experience risk and if this relation was mediated by friends-based strategy use. An alternative model was also tested with the same predictors, but unwanted sexual experiences as the mediator and friends-based strategy use as the outcome. Over half (58%) of extended weekend nights with friends involved drinking or using drugs. Friends-based strategies were used on 29% of nights. Across models, being with one or more intoxicated friends was associated with friends-based strategy use and an unwanted sexual experience, but only at the situation-level. Parents, educators, and policy makers can encourage college women to draw on their social networks to enhance safety. Interventions could incorporate more universal strategies for responding to risk in social contexts.

Prevalence of Sexual Victimization Among Female and Male College Students: A Methodological Note With Data

This study provides insight on how sample recruitment methods may affect reported rates of sexual victimization on college campuses. The study compares sexual victimization rates among students who complete surveys after initial requests with those who complete them only after multiple reminders. Using probability sampling methods, undergraduate students from 12 universities were invited to complete a survey on campus violence; initial invitations were followed with up to five reminders. Women (n = 1,008) and men (n = 344) who completed surveys were categorized as early, middle, or late responders based on the number of reminders required to convert them from non-responders to responders. About 24.2% of women and 15.6% of men reported sexual victimization in the previous two months. In initial analyses, female early and late responders did not differ on sexual victimization, but males did. Male late responders reported higher rates of sexual victimization than early responders. In sensitivity analyses that re-defined early and late responders, women who were early responders reported more sexual victimization than women who were late responders, while men who were early responders reported less sexual victimization than men who were late responders. These findings suggest that researchers may underestimate sexual victimization rates for male college students unless multiple attempts are made to solicit their participation. Researchers are encouraged to utilize multiple reminders to increase research participation.

Dispelling a Myth: Reevaluating the Predictive Validity of Rape Myth Acceptance for Likelihood of Engaging in Sexual Violence

Sexual violence prevention on college campuses has received significant recent attention. A prevalent intervention paradigm has centered around re-educating young people around consent and reduce endorsement of "rape myths," based on the correlation between rape myths and sexual violence incidents. Yet many of these programs have not measurably reduced sexual assaults. We evaluated the predictive value of a rape myth measure, as compared with other predictors (criminal history, childhood victimization, aggressive tendencies, substance use, and empathy), in predicting self-reported acts of forcible and incapacitated sexual assault in college-age men (N = 304) from 45 U.S. states. Across three logistic regression model pairs, rape myths were weakly associated with violence when considered as sole predictors. However, this predictive power dissipated when other predictors were included. Comprehensive models accounted significantly better for variability in outcomes; with criminal history demonstrating consistent predictive effects. Based on these findings, we recommend further research into prevention programming based on other predictors of violence.

Bystander Intervention Opportunities and Prosocial Behaviors Among Gender and Sexual Minority College Students

Bystander intervention education has proliferated as a popular strategy to address campus interpersonal violence, including intimate partner and sexual violence, which remain major public health concerns. Much of the work on bystander engagement, however, is cis- and heteronormative (i.e., centered on those individuals whose gender identity aligns with their biological sex at birth and/or who identify as heterosexual), thus failing to capture the experiences of students who identify as gender or sexual minorities (GSM), a population at increased risk for interpersonal violence. Research has demonstrated that cisgender females face an increased likelihood of victimization, which is related to greater awareness of intimate partner and sexual violence and results in more prosocial intentions and prosocial behaviors. The question remains whether this extends beyond cisgender females. The current study is a secondary analysis of data collected in a web-based sexual assault prevention course designed for undergraduate students and implemented at their respective institutions. Data from 474,395 undergraduate students, aged 18-23 years, were used to answer the research question. Results indicate that students' bystander intervention opportunities and prosocial behaviors differ based on GSM status. For example, although cisgender bisexual women, transwomen, and genderqueer/gender nonconforming (GNC) students were more likely to report having the opportunity to intervene in sexual assault situations, relative to cisgender heterosexual women, the latter two groups were less likely to intervene. Further, cisgender gay and bisexual men, as well as transmen and genderqueer/GNC students were more likely to report having the opportunity to intervene in dating abuse situations, relative to cisgender heterosexual men, and cisgender gay men were more likely to report having intervened. Given the call for centering research on minoritized student experiences, this research is a vital step toward recognizing the diversity of those experiences for GSM students, a population at risk for victimization.

Campus Sexual Violence Victims with Disabilities: Disclosure and Help Seeking

Undergraduate students with disabilities represent an important population on college campuses. Yet the incidence of sexual violence and disclosing/reporting of sexual violence among this population is understudied. This exploratory and largely descriptive study uses an intersectional framework to understand the sexual victimization of undergraduate students with disabilities at a large Mid-Atlantic academic institution. The sample consisted of students who completed a sexual violence module (N = 2,929) as part of a larger campus climate survey. Students with disabilities comprised a smaller sample within this group (n = 177) and descriptive and chi-square results from both groups of students are reported. Students with disabilities had a statistically significant higher likelihood of sexual violence victimization before coming to campus and while at the university, with much higher rates for precollege victimization than students with no disabilities. Disclosure rates were not different for students across the two groups, though students with disabilities were more likely to utilize formal sources of support, such as campus Title IX offices and mental health services. This study shows support for a strengths-based approach that recognizes that students with disabilities may be more likely to reach out to campus resources. The findings of the study also underscore the need for culturally relevant victim services for students with disabilities. An evaluation of the culture of a university and its environment of openness, sharing, community, and protection (or lack thereof) can be a key point for future approaches to sexual violence on campus.

A One-Session Treatment of PTSD After Single Sexual Assault Trauma. A Pilot Study of the WONSA MLI Project: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Sexual abuse is a crime with devastating health consequences. Accessible, acceptable and affordable treatment of PTSD after sexual abuse is important. In this pilot study, a one-session PTSD treatment and a modified perspective to PTSD treatment is introduced. The aim of the study was to test the efficacy of one session of Modified Lifespan Integration (MLI) on reduction of symptoms of PTSD in individuals with PTSD after one sexual assault. This was a single-center, individually randomized waitlist-controlled treatment study with 1:1 allocation, with the intervention of one 90 - 140 minutes session of MLI and with post-treatment follow-up at 3 weeks (time point two). All participants were females, mean age 24, with PTSD symptoms after one sexual assault during the past 5 years. Exclusion criteria were poor understanding of Swedish, multiple traumas, active substance abuse, active psychosis, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorder. Of 135 interested participants, 38 were finally included, 36 completed baseline measures and were included in the intent to treat analyses and 33 were analyzed per protocol. The primary outcome was the difference between the two trial arms in mean PTSD symptoms as measured by the Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R) at time point two. In the intervention arm, 72% no longer scored PTSD in per-protocol analysis, compared to 6% in the waiting list arm. IES-R scores were on average halved in the intervention arm (F=21.37, P<0.001), but were essentially unchanged in the waiting list arm. No adverse effects or drop-outs were seen. One session of Modified Lifespan Integration was an effective treatment with a low drop-out rate for females aged 15-65 with PTSD after one sexual assault. Provided that this result can be replicated, MLI should be offered to these patients in clinical settings. Registration number NCT03141047 was given 03/25/2016 at ClinicalTrials.gov (https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/).

Risk Factors for Sexual Assault of Heterosexual and Sexual Minority College Women

Though college women report high rates of sexual assault, less is known about how protective and risk factors are uniquely associated with assault among heterosexual and sexual minority women. As such, the current study examined protective factors (i.e., maternal relationship quality and religiosity) and risk factors (i.e., child sexual abuse, parent substance misuse, and risky behaviors) for coercive sexual assault and total sexual assault and whether they vary by sexual orientation among college women. Data were gathered in the 2013-2014 academic year at two large public universities in the United States, one in the Midwest and one in the Southeast. Data for the current study included 755 college women, 72 (9.5%) of whom identified as sexual minority. Bivariate results showed that heterosexual women reported greater maternal relationship quality and greater religiosity compared to sexual minority women, while sexual minority women reported more risky sexual behaviors and having experienced more coercive sexual assault than heterosexual women. Multivariate results revealed that child sexual abuse, parent drinking problems, maternal relationship quality, heavy drinking, hooking up, and risky sexual behaviors were significantly associated with total sexual assault. Significant correlates of coercive sexual assault included child sexual abuse, maternal relationship quality, hooking up, and risky sexual behaviors. The relationship between maternal relationship quality and total sexual assault varied by sexual orientation as did the relationship between hooking up and coercive sexual assault. These findings have implications for targeted interventions to improve prevention of sexual assault among heterosexual and sexual minority college women.

Sexual Violence at University: Are Varsity Athletes More at Risk?

Some studies report that the sport context increases the risk of exposure to sexual violence for athletes. In contrast, others indicate a protective effect of sport participation against sexual violence, particularly among varsity athletes. Studies of sexual violence towards varsity athletes are limited by their failure to include control groups and various known risk factors such as age, graduate level, gender and sexual identity, disability status, international and Indigenous student status, and childhood sexual abuse. The purpose of the present study is to fill in these gaps to determine whether varsity athletes are at greater risk than non-athletes of sexual violence towards them or whether, on the contrary, involvement in a varsity sport is coherent with the Sport Protection Hypothesis. Data for this article come from the ESSIMU study (Enquête sur la Sexualité, la Sécurité et les Interactions en Milieu Universitaire), a broad survey of students, professors, and other employees at six francophone universities regarding sexual violence on university campuses. A total of 6,485 students with complete data on sexual violence, athlete status, and gender were included in the study. From this total, 267 participants identified themselves as varsity athletes. Data were analyzed using a series of logistic regressions on each form of violence using athlete status as a predictor and characteristics associated with sexual violence victimization or distinguishing between varsity athletes and non-athletes as confounding variables. When considering all confounding variables in the regression analyses on four yearly incidence rates of sexual violence, the results revealed that being a varsity athlete did not significantly increase the risk of exposure to sexual violence at university. All considered other variables were more significant predictors of the past year's risk of sexual violence victimization than athlete status was.

Increased Risk for Sexual Violence Victimization on Drinking Days Involving Pregaming

Alcohol consumption has been associated with increased risk for sexual violence victimization and perpetration. Pregaming, a popular activity among college students that involves heavy and quick drinking prior to going out for the night and often results in high blood alcohol levels (BALs), may convey increased risk for sexual violence-potentially due to greater likelihood of contact with intoxicated perpetrators and significantly impaired victim ability to consent or resist. Yet no published work has evaluated whether there is increased risk for victimization on drinking days that involve pregaming. Using a sample of 390 college student drinkers who completed a past 30-day Timeline Followback, we examined heavy drinking behavior, estimated BALs, and experience of sexual violence victimization during 1,899 drinking days, of which 30% involved pregaming. After controlling for demographics, we found that participants drank approximately two more drinks and reached significantly higher BALs on drinking days where they pregamed as compared to drinking days where they did not pregame. Nearly 6% of drinking days that included pregaming involved sexual violence victimization, compared to about 2% of drinking days where pregaming did not occur. Participants were at 2.71 times the odds of experiencing sexual violence, primarily unwelcomed comments and nonconsensual sexual touching, during drinking days with pregaming. This study represents a first step toward greater understanding of the sexual violence and pregaming link, but future research assessing perpetrator behavior and context-specific factors (e.g., amount consumed by victims and perpetrators, location of sexual violent events and peers present) are needed.

Correlates of Bystander Intentions and Behavior among Community College Students in Situations of Sexual Violence

Sexual violence (SV) is a public health problem on college campuses. Research suggests that bystanders can effectively prevent and respond in situations of SV. There is no research to date concerning correlates of bystander behavior (e.g., gender, perceptions of SV) on community college campuses. However, there are notable differences between students enrolled in two- and four-year colleges. We conducted two exploratory studies across seven community colleges in one northeastern state to examine correlates of bystander intentions and behavior. In Studies 1 and 2, the majority of respondents identified as women, heterosexual, and White. We administered online surveys that inquired about demographics, peer attitudes, knowledge of sexual consent, history of victimization, and intent to help (Study 1) or self-reported bystander behavior (Study 2). The first study (n = 1,067) demonstrated that gender (i.e., identifying as woman), less accepting peer attitudes toward SV, and greater knowledge of sexual consent and awareness of campus SV were significantly associated with bystander intentions. The second study (n = 1,506) indicated that age (i.e., younger than 25 years old), greater knowledge of sexual consent, and victimization history were associated with bystander behavior. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Violence and the Academic Lives of College Students at the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity and Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

To ascertain whether sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) students at a Hispanic-serving institution who experience violence are more likely to experience interference with their academic lives when compared to heterosexual, cisgender students, and how this relationship differs by race/ethnicity. Data came from 736 undergraduate students at a university in the Southwestern United States responding to a 2017 Campus Climate Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted on self-identified SGM students and reported interference with their academic lives. The model was also tested for effect modification by race/ethnicity. Two-thirds (67.65%) of SGM students reported four or more incidences of violence. Nearly one-fifth (18.83%) of SGM students reported being harassed, insulted, threatened, or intimidated, and 2.63% reported being physically hurt (including forced sex), because the perpetrator thought the individual might have been gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. SGM students had 2.44 (95% CI: 1.29, 4.61) increased odds of interference with academic life as a result of violence victimization compared with non-SGM students. When the model was evaluated for effect modification by race/ethnicity, large effect sizes were observed, although the results were not significant. SGM undergraduate students are at significantly increased risk of violence and interference with their academic lives. This research emphasizes the need for institutions of higher education to ensure that their policies and practices support equal access to education by SGM students. Additionally, this study contributes insights into a potential protective effect of Hispanic ethnicity that warrants further research.

Prepartying and incapacitated rape: Is drinking a risk factor or an outcome?

BACKGROUND

Incapacitated rape (IR) is common in college and has been linked to heavier post-assault drinking and consequences, including blackouts. Following IR, college students may adjust their drinking in ways meant to increase perceived safety, such as enhancing situational control over one's drinks through prepartying, which is drinking before going out to a main social event. Although it is possible that prepartying could influence risk related to IR, it is unclear whether or how prepartying and IR are associated.

METHODS

To address these gaps, we examined prepartying as both a risk factor and a consequence of IR, including the reasons for prepartying. Across two studies (Study 1 N = 1074; Study 2 N = 1753) of college women and men, we examined associations between IR and prepartying motives, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related blackouts.

RESULTS

Within the cross-sectional Study 1, negative binomial regressions revealed that having a history of IR was associated with more alcohol consumption and blackouts when prepartying. In a multivariate model, past-year IR was associated with preparty motives related to interpersonal enhancement, intimate pursuit, and barriers to consumption, but not situational control. Within the prospective Study 2, a path model revealed that preparty drinking was a prospective predictor of IR in the following year, but past-year IR did not predict subsequent prepartying.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings revealed a robust link between recent history of IR and prepartying regardless of gender. Prepartying was a prospective risk factor for subsequent IR. Although more research in this area is needed, addressing prepartying in alcohol interventions may contribute to the prevention of negative outcomes, including sexual assault.

Campus Sexual Violence, Gender, and Mental Health in Diverse Undergraduate/Graduate Students

Campus sexual violence (CSV) is linked with poor mental health and alcohol use, with cisgender women and some people of Color at increased risk for victimization. Though undergraduates' experiences of CSV are typically studied, graduate/professional students may additionally be impacted by CSV. Campus climate surveys recruit random samples of the entire student population, thus increasing generalizability. The purpose of the study is to pilot the ARC3 campus climate survey to examine CSV, mental health, and alcohol use by gender and minority status in diverse undergraduates and graduate/professional students. Random samples of undergraduates (N = 775) and graduate/professional students (N = 525) completed a 30-min online survey. Compared to graduate/professional students and men, undergraduates and women experience more CSV. CSV was associated with alcohol use in undergraduates and poorer mental health in undergraduates and graduate/professional students. Universities' prevention and intervention strategies should include undergraduate and graduate/professional students, targeting sexism.

The Value and Validity of Self-Reported Survey Data on the Rape Experiences of College Students

Self-reported survey data on the extent and nature of rape and sexual assault experienced by a population represent an important source of information because these crimes often go unreported, and are thus undercounted in law enforcement or other official statistics. This article compares Campus Climate Survey Validation Study (CCSVS) data to Clery Act data in an effort to (1) assess the validity of the CCSVS data and the Clery Act data based on the extent to which they corroborate one another, and (2) estimate the extent to which Clery Act data potentially underestimate the true incidence of rape. The results help to establish the extent to which self-report surveys on sexual victimization are needed to understand the magnitude of the problem among a given population.

Changing Cognitive Risk Factors for Sexual Aggression: Risky Sexual Scripts, Low Sexual Self-Esteem, Perception of Pornography, and Acceptance of Sexual Coercion

Sexual aggression is a problem among college students worldwide, and a growing body of research has identified variables associated with an increased risk of victimization and perpetration. Among these, sexuality-related cognitions, such as sexual scripts, sexual self-esteem, perceived realism of pornography, and acceptance of sexual coercion, play a major role. The current experimental study aimed to show that these cognitive risk factors of sexual aggression victimization and perpetration are amenable to change, which is a critical condition for evidence-based intervention efforts. College students in Germany (N = 324) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a treatment group designed to change participants' sexual scripts for consensual sex with regard to the role of alcohol consumption, casual sex, and ambiguous communication of sexual intentions as risk factors for sexual aggression (EG1), a treatment group designed to promote sexual self-esteem, challenge the perceived realism of pornography, and reduce the acceptance of sexual coercion (EG2), and a non-treatment control group (CG). Baseline (T1), post-experimental (T2), and follow-up (T3) measures were taken across an eight-week period. Sexual scripts contained fewer risk factors for sexual aggression in EG1 than in EG2 and CG at T3. Sexual self-esteem was enhanced in EG2 at T2 relative to the other two groups. Acceptance of sexual coercion was lower in EG2 than in EG1 and CG at T2 and T3. No effect was found for perceived realism of pornography. The findings are discussed in terms of targeting cognitive risk factors as a basis for intervention programs.

Evaluative Attitudes May Explain the Link Between Injunctive Norms and Sexual Aggression

The current study examined the extent to which evaluative attitudes toward sexual aggression (i.e., positive or negative evaluative judgments about sexually aggressive behavior) mediate the association between injunctive norms (i.e., extent to which peers approve or disapprove of sexually aggressive behavior) and self-reported sexual aggression against women. Participants were 200 male undergraduate students. Approximately one in four males reported engaging in at least one sexually aggressive act since the age of 16. Participants with a history of sexual aggression also reported the highest likelihood of engaging in sexually aggressive behavior in the future. We tested two separate mediation models to examine the extent to which evaluative attitudes account for the link between injunctive norms and sexual aggression: one model with self-reported history of sexual aggression as the outcome and the other with likelihood of engaging in sexually aggressive behavior as the outcome. Results showed that more positive evaluative attitudes toward sexual aggression accounted for the association between injunctive norms and self-reported history of sexual aggression. Similarly, evaluative attitudes accounted for the link between injunctive norms and self-reported likelihood of engaging in sexually aggressive behavior in the future. Overall, these findings are consistent with theoretical and empirical explanations of sexual offending and general criminal behavior; however, this is the first study to explore the relationship between injunctive norms and evaluative attitudes in the context of explaining sexually aggressive behavior. If more rigorous research establishes a causal relationship between injunctive norms, evaluative attitudes, and sexually aggressive behavior, this would suggest that targeting these factors in prevention programs may reduce sexual aggression by male undergraduate students.

Mental Health in Elite Student Athletes: Exploring the Link Between Training Volume and Mental Health Problems in Norwegian College and University Students

Objectives

To examine mental health problems among elite athletes in a student population, compared to the general student population, and to explore the association between weekly hours of training across mental health indicators.

Methods

Data are from a national study from 2018 of all college and university students in Norway. Participants indicated if they considered themselves to be an elite athlete, and how many hours per week they trained. Mental health problems were assessed using several well-validated questionnaires.

Results

Among 50,054 students, 1.3% identified themselves as elite athletes. Both male and female elite athletes had generally better mental health across most health outcomes, reporting fewer mental health problems, less loneliness, higher satisfaction with life, more positive affect, and fewer alcohol problems. Elite athletes in team sports had slightly better mental health compared to athletes of individual sports. Increased hours of weekly exercise was associated with better mental health. However, there was generally little to be gained from increasing the amount of training from 7–10 hours/week to 14+ hours per week. Female athletes who trained 14 or more hours per week reported poorer mental health across most outcome measures.

Conclusion

This study showed that both male and female elite athletes generally had better mental health across a range of health outcomes, when compared to the general student population. The study also found a positive dose-response relationship between weekly hours of training and mental health, but also a worsening of mental health for females at the extreme end of exercise continuum. The self-report nature of this student sample means that care should be taken when generalizing to other studies of elite athletes.

Sexual Communication and Sexual Consent Self-Efficacy Among College Students: Implications for Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention

PURPOSE

Obtaining affirmative consent, a hallmark of sexual violence prevention education on college campuses, may influence sexual communication and behaviors such as condom use. This study examined the relationship between self-efficacy to obtain sexual consent with sexual health communication and behaviors among a sample of U.S. college students.

METHODS

Data were from 2,291 students enrolled in a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted on 28 college campuses from 2015 to 2017. Students reported their self-efficacy to obtain sexual consent, communication about sexual health, and sexual health behaviors. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for school clustering, history of violence victimization, and sexually transmitted infection history, estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sexual consent self-efficacy and sexual health communication.

RESULTS

Females (n = 1,150) reported higher self-efficacy to obtain consent than males (b₁ = .32, 95% CI = .23, .41), but lower odds of communication about condom use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = .75, 95% CI = .60, .96) and HIV prevention (AOR = .63, 95% CI = .48, .81). Black and other race students reported higher odds of HIV/sexually transmitted infection prevention communication than white students. Odds of consistent condom use were highest among students reporting condom use communication and high self-efficacy to obtain sexual consent (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.58, 2.51).

CONCLUSIONS

Campus sexual assault prevention education that focuses narrowly on obtaining sexual consent may be missing an opportunity to enhance sexual health communication broadly, including condom and contraceptive use discussion to promote overall sexual health.

Sexual Victimization in Adulthood and Associated Factors Among Men and Women: Cross-Sectional Evidence from Mainland China

Limited empirical research addresses sexual victimization and related factors among the general adult population in China. To address this gap, we explored the association between sexual victimization in adulthood and associated factors (unwanted sexual experiences [USE] before age 18, binge drinking prior to sex, hooking up, violent pornography use, awareness and perceived behavioral control of consent, and sexual refusal assertiveness) among a convenience Chinese sample. A cross-sectional study was performed in September 2020 among 898 screened men and women from 29 provinces in mainland China. Overall, 52.5% of men and 57.9% of women experienced sexual victimization at least once in adulthood. Men and women differed in the severity of sexual victimization in adulthood, with the mean severity scores of women being significantly higher than those of men. Hierarchical ordinal logistic regression revealed that, after considering control variables, correlates of severity of sexual victimization in adulthood included gender (OR 3.17, 95% CI 2.30-4.40), severity of USE before age 18 (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.92-2.73), binge drinking prior to sex (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.83-3.49), hook-up history (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.49-3.39), violent pornography use (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.04-1.09), lack of perceived behavioral control of communicating consent (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07), and sexual refusal assertiveness (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.89-0.95). These findings indicate that early adverse sexual experiences, potential risky sexual behaviors, violent pornography use, and beliefs about consent and refusal may play an important role in predicting sexual victimization among Chinese adults.

Prevention of sexual violence among college students: Current challenges and future directions

Objective Preventing sexual violence among college students is a public health priority. This paper was catalyzed by a summit convened in 2018 to review the state of the science on campus sexual violence prevention. We summarize key risk and vulnerability factors and campus-based interventions, and provide directions for future research pertaining to campus sexual violence. Results and Conclusions: Although studies have identified risk factors for campus sexual violence, longitudinal research is needed to examine time-varying risk factors across social ecological levels (individual, relationship, campus context/broader community and culture) and data are particularly needed to identify protective factors. In terms of prevention, promising individual and relational level interventions exist, including active bystander, resistance, and gender transformative approaches; however, further evidence-based interventions are needed, particularly at the community-level, with attention to vulnerability factors and inclusion for marginalized students.

Iranian Nurses' Experiences with Sexual Harassment in Workplace: a Qualitative Study

Background

Sexual harassment has become a worldwide issue in recent years. Nursing, like other professions, is vulnerable to this type of harm. Sexual harassment impairs nurses' ability to provide comprehensive care, resulting in psychological discomfort, diminished work commitment, absenteeism, and job termination. The current study was carried out to investigate Iranian nurses' experiences with sexual harassment in the workplace.

Materials and Methods

This qualitative study used conventional content analysis with a descriptive exploratory approach to investigate the experiences of Iranian nurses. Between September 2020 and April 2021, we conducted semi-structured and in-depth interviews with 22 employed nurses, recruited via a purposeful method. Age, sex, work experience, degree of education, marital status, and hospital and ward type were observed to acquire rich information.

Results

The study's data produced 354 codes, 1 main category, 5 s categories, and 23 sub categories. The main category of nurses' sexual harassment in the workplace is divided into five categories: verbal, physical, visual, seduction, and cybersexual harassment. The most and least common types of harassment were verbal and cybersexual harassment, respectively. Nurse harassment was perpetrated by patients and their families, physicians, colleagues, and other hospital personnel.

Conclusion

According to the findings of this study, the majority of nurses have been subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace in various forms. Given the negative consequences of workplace harassment, managers and policymakers should develop guidelines in the areas of workplace ethics, legal accountability, and workplace safety. There is also a need to develop training programs for nurses to improve their coping skills. More quantitative and qualitative research in other healthcare groups is needed to confirm the findings of this study.

The Scope of Rape Victimization and Perpetration Among National Samples of College Students Across 30 years

Research Questions: Rape prevention practice and policy have roots in data from 1985. This study uses 2015 national data to project recent prevalence, assesses whether rates now differ from those of 30 years ago, and disaggregates 2015 prevalence into rape of alcohol incapacitated victims, rapes combining both alcohol and physical tactics, and violent rape. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted comparing two national samples. The first was collected in 1984-85 (Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987); the second was collected 30 years later in 2014-2015. Both surveys used in-person administration and measurement by the most current version at the time of the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES). Prevalence rates were compared using Bayesian binomial tests. Results: In 2015, 33.4% (1 in 3) of women reported experiencing rape or attempted rape and 12.7% of men reported perpetration (1 in 8). Using Jeffreys' label for effect size of the Bayes binomial (1961), both results are "decisively" greater than expected given the 1985 benchmarks of 27.9% for victimization and 7.7% for perpetration. Victimization when incapacitated characterized approximately 75% of incidents in 2015 up from 50% in 1985. Cautions apply as cross-sectional data does not establish causality and the recent data set involved the revised SES. Conclusions: Across 30 years, neither containment nor reduction of rape was demonstrated and the increasingly prominent association with alcohol was apparent. Among the men who disclosed raping, 9 of 10 incidents were alcohol-involved. Prevention focus might profitably be directed to constraining alcohol environments and policies that facilitate rape of incapacitated persons and on misconduct responses that are proportional to the harm caused to rape victims, thereby raising the perceived risks of perpetration.

Associations between interpersonal violence victimisation and concussions among US college students

Interpersonal violence is common on college campuses and is associated with many adverse health outcomes; however, it remains unknown whether experiencing interpersonal violence victimisation is associated with concussions. The aim of this study was to estimate the associations between interpersonal violence, including emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual assault, and concussions among a large, diverse sample of college students. We analysed cross-sectional data from the 2018-2019 national (US) Healthy Minds Study (N = 1,478). Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the association between interpersonal violence victimisation (any violence victimisation, emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual assault) and concussion history (any concussion, diagnosed concussion and undiagnosed concussion), while adjusting for potential confounders. Analyses were conducted among the overall sample and separately by male and female participants. Results showed patterns of significant associations between interpersonal violence victimisation and concussions among the overall sample and among male and female participants. Among the overall sample, any interpersonal violence victimisation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-1.88), emotional abuse (AOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.06-1.76), physical abuse (AOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.07-2.44) and sexual assault (AOR 2.17, 95% CI 1.44-3.26) were associated with higher odds of any concussion history. Sexual assault victimisation had the strongest association with any concussion history among male (AOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.04-3.71) and female (AOR 2.96, 95% CI 1.62-5.43) participants. These results expand on prior interpersonal violence and concussion research by showing an association with multiple victimisation measures among a large and diverse sample of college students. Medical professionals should screen for concussions among college students who experience emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual assault to provide appropriate guidance. Information on the symptoms of concussions should be incorporated into campus violence awareness and prevention efforts.

Gender, Campus Sexual Violence, Cultural Betrayal, Institutional Betrayal, and Institutional Support in U.S. Ethnic Minority College Students: A Descriptive Study

Women and ethnic minorities are at increased risk for campus sexual violence (CSV). Due to inequality, within-group victimization in marginalized communities includes cultural betrayal. Universities commit institutional betrayal (e.g., inadequate prevention) and institutional support (e.g., sensitivity). With a campus climate survey, the purpose of the study is to characterize, by gender, U.S. ethnic minority undergraduates' CSV, cultural and institutional betrayal, and institutional support. Participants (N = 222) were a random sample of ethnic minority undergraduates. College women experienced higher rates of CSV and institutional betrayal. Universities can implement a research agenda that centralizes the role of oppression in CSV.

Predicting emotional abuse among a sample of college students

Objective This study aims to examine factors related to emotional abuse, an understudied type of intimate partner violence (IPV), among a sample of college students. Participants: 601 undergraduates from one large public university in the Midwestern United States (Spring 2017) and 756 undergraduates from one large public university in the Southern United States (Fall 2019) participated in the study. Methods: Participants completed an online survey measuring demographic information, behavioral variables (viewing porn, alcohol consumption, and hooking up), and history of violence (witnessing a father abuse his spouse, emotional abuse history). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analyses predicting emotional abuse victimization were conducted. Results: Results indicate female, white, older students were more likely to report emotional abuse. Also, students witnessing their father abuse his spouse, frequent pornography use, increased alcohol use, and frequent hookups increased odds of emotional abuse. Conclusion: College campuses should consider emphasizing emotional abuse in IPV programing.

Emotional Responses to a Sexual Assault Threat: A Qualitative Analysis Among Women With Histories of Sexual Victimization

Sexual assaults against women are a leading threat to human rights and public health in the United States. Considering the high rates of sexual revictimization among women and the limited understanding of the mechanisms which fuel this phenomenon, the goal of the present study was to investigate the role of emotion in coping with a hypothetical threat of sexual assault for previously sexually victimized college women. A total of 114 college women with a history of sexual victimization listened to an audio-recording describing a sexual assault scenario and then described how they felt. A qualitative analysis paradigm was used to capture participants' responses in an open-ended, real-time, experiential manner. Data were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research-Modified methodology. Four main themes emerged (Negative Reactions, Indifferent Evaluations, Active Responses, and Cognitive Appraisal of the Situation), along with various subcategories, demonstrating the variability of women's responses to a sexual assault threat. Many women experienced uncomfortable or distressing emotional reactions to the vignette, primarily through discomfort, but also through anger, anxiety, and being upset. Few women reported experiencing fear, and a small number reported experiencing self-blame. The low endorsement of fear and anger in our high-risk sample indicates emotional dysregulation as a potential mechanism of repeated sexual victimization and a promising target for clinical intervention. Overall, results may inform sexual assault risk reduction efforts and the empowerment of women who have experienced sexual victimization.

Advocate and Survivor Perspectives on the Role of Technology in Help Seeking and Services with Emerging Adults in Higher Education

Emerging adults, aged 18-25, have come of age in a technology oriented world. The internet has been critical in mediating their personal relationships and their understanding of daily life. Emerging adults are also at unique risk of experiencing intimate partner and sexual violence (IPV & SV) Given the increasing infusion of information communication technology (ICT) into anti-violence advocacy, and the broad use of ICT among college-attending emerging adults, this study aimed to explore how both survivors and advocates are leveraging technology for support. Using a QUAL + qual methodology (Morse and Niehaus, 2009), data were collected as part of an evaluation of campus-based advocacy as implemented in five programs. Interviews took place with 23 campus and community-based advocates, and 25 survivors of interpersonal violence who had accessed campus-based advocacy services. Additionally, 63 survivors who engaged in campus-based advocacy services responded to an online survey. Key domains identified were: 1) technology as a means of informing potential clients about services; 2) the role of technology in help-seeking, including its role in tailoring and extending the reach of services; and 3) the importance of recognizing technology facilitated abuse in the advocacy and education process with emerging adults. As advocacy programs are rapidly shifting to technology facilitated services in the wake of COVID-19, this study provides data on advocate and survivor experiences with technology, which can inform these changes across the spectrum of IPV & SV services.

Contributions of Reality TV Consumption to College Women’s Endorsement of the Heterosexual Script and Acceptance of Sexualized Aggression

A prominent feature of mainstream television, especially reality programming, is a heterosexual script that outlines women’s and men’s traditional courtship roles. Although frequent media use is believed to produce greater acceptance of this script, existing analyses have not fully delineated contributions of scripted versus reality programming or tested these notions using a holistic heterosexual script scale. We addressed these limitations in two studies. In Study 1, 466 undergraduate women indicated their support of the heterosexual script and their consumption of popular reality programs, sitcoms, and dramas. Heavier viewing of reality programming predicted greater support for the heterosexual script, and heavier viewing of sitcoms predicted weaker support. In Study 2, we used longitudinal data to explore relations between viewing reality television, acceptance of the heterosexual script, and acceptance of sexualized aggression during undergraduate women’s first 2 years in college ( N = 244). We found that reality television consumption was not a direct predictor of acceptance of sexualized aggression but was a significant, indirect predictor through endorsement of the heterosexual script. These studies contribute to our understanding of unique media contributions to endorsement of the heterosexual script and illuminate one process by which women may come to normalize sexual mistreatment. Campus educational programming on sexuality, sexual assault, and healthy relationships may be able to intervene in this normalization through critique of the heterosexual script and media portrayals of dating and relationships.

She Asked for It: Hardcore Porn, Sexism, and Rape Myth Acceptance

The present study examined pornography viewing, rape myth acceptance, and sexist attitudes. Data came from 392 male and 903 female participants. Multigroup SEM indicated neither pornography viewing, nor hardcore pornography viewing, were related to rape myth acceptance when controlling for sexist attitudes among men. Wald tests indicated hostile sexism to be a significantly stronger predictor of all rape myths examined compared to pornography viewing or hardcore pornography viewing in men and women. Latent variable interaction analyses suggested hardcore pornography viewing as a significant exacerbating factor for the relationship between hostile sexism and "she asked for it" rape myths across genders.

Examining Support for University-to-Police Reporting Policies for Sexual Assault: The Role of Survivors' Consent

In several states, bills have been introduced that require universities to report sexual assaults to law enforcement. Opponents argue that such policies can compel survivors to disclose against their will, stripping survivors of autonomy and harming campus communities. We used a mixed method approach to examine people's support for reporting policies that do and do not consider survivor consent: compelled police disclosure (requires a report regardless of victim consent) and consented police disclosure (requires a report if the victim consents). We examined individual characteristics and attitudes associated with support for these approaches (i.e., had experienced sexual assault, trust in police). Participants (1,045 adults in the United States) were randomly assigned to read one of three policy statements, and we collected quantitative and qualitative survey data. Participants were less supportive of compelled police disclosure than consented police disclosure. People who supported compelled disclosure frequently focused on the crime and potential social benefits, were more likely to be non-victims, and held greater trust in the police. People who supported consented disclosure focused on the victim's needs, were more likely to be survivors, and held less trust in the police. Survivor consent should be considered in the discussion of university-to-police reporting policies for sexual assault.

Oxford Understanding Relationships, Sex, Power, Abuse and Consent Experiences (OUR SPACE) cross-sectional survey: a study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Sexual violence among higher education students is a public health concern, threatening the general safety of students, often with significant physical and mental health implications for victims. Establishing the prevalence estimates of sexual violence at higher education institutions (HEIs) is essential for designing and resourcing responses to sexual violence, including monitoring the effectiveness of prevention initiatives and institutional programmes. Yet, to date, there have been no rigorous studies assessing prevalence of sexual violence at HEIs in the UK.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Informed by guidance from Universities UK, the University of Oxford administration and the related student advocacy groups working within the University, Oxford Understanding Relationships, Sex, Power, Abuse and Consent Experiences is a cross-sectional survey of all undergraduate and graduate students over the age of 18 enrolled at the University of Oxford, UK. The survey design uses a complete sampling approach and measures adapted from previous campus climate surveys in the USA as well as the Sexual Experiences Survey (USA). The analysis will estimate the prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual violence perpetration and victimisation, and will examine whether ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation are associated with these primary outcomes.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was obtained by the Social Sciences and Humanities Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee at the University of Oxford which is a subcommittee of the Central University Research Ethics Committee (ref no.: R73805/RE001). The research team will disseminate findings through peer-reviewed journal articles and conference presentations. A report cowritten by authors and stakeholders will be shared with Oxford University students.

Pathways from College Students' Cognitive Scripts for Consensual Sex to Sexual Victimization: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

Sexual scripts serve as cognitive representations of typical elements of sexual interactions that guide sexual behavior. To the extent that cognitive scripts for consensual sex comprise elements associated with a risk of experiencing nonconsensual sex, they may be indirectly linked to sexual victimization via risky sexual behavior. A longitudinal study with 2,425 college students in Germany (58% female) examined pathways from sexual scripts for consensual sex, sexual behavior, and sexual victimization over three data waves separated by 12-month intervals. Sexual scripts and behavior were defined as risky to the extent that they include known vulnerability factors for sexual victimization (casual sex, alcohol consumption, ambiguous communication of sexual intentions). Path analyses confirmed that more risky sexual scripts prospectively predicted more risky sexual behavior, which predicted higher odds of sexual victimization. The findings held for men and women and participants with exclusively opposite-sex and both same- and opposite-sex contacts. Moreover, reciprocal influences between risky scripts and risky sexual behavior were found over time, confirming the proposed mutual reinforcement of scripts and behavior. The findings have implications for conceptualizing the role of scripts for consensual sex as vulnerability factors for sexual victimization among women and men and may inform intervention efforts.

Initial efficacy of a web-based alcohol and emotion regulation intervention for college women with sexual assault histories

OBJECTIVE

College women with sexual assault histories report greater heavy drinking relative to those without histories of assault. Moreover, individuals with sexual assault histories often have difficulty regulating emotions and tolerating distress, which can lead to a problematic pattern of drinking to cope. Thus, we evaluated the initial efficacy of a web-based alcohol intervention that included strategies to reduce drinking and improve regulatory skills for heavy drinking college women with sexual assault histories.

METHOD

The sample comprised college women (N = 200) who were 20.9 (SD = 2.8) years old and primarily White (69%). They were randomized to an assessment-only control or intervention and completed 14 daily diary assessments, pre- and posttreatment surveys, and 1- and 6-month follow-up surveys. During daily diary, the intervention group received a brief (5-10 min) alcohol reduction or regulatory skill module each day.

RESULTS

Reductions in drinking quantity and heavy episodic drinking were found for the intervention group at posttreatment and 1-month follow-up relative to controls. Improved regulatory skills and reduced posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were reported at posttreatment for women who received the intervention compared to controls. Although gains were maintained, the intervention group no longer differed from controls by 6-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest this web-based intervention may result in short-term reductions in drinking and PTSD symptoms as well as improvements in regulatory abilities for college women with sexual assault histories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Sexual and Relationship Violence Prevention and Response: What Drives the Commuter Campus Student Experience?

This exploratory study brings together two lines of inquiry on (a) college campus-based responses to sexual and intimate partner violence among students, and (b) the characteristics, experiences, and challenges unique to commuter students and commuter institutions of higher education. Using qualitative analysis of 14 in-depth interviews with campus personnel and focus groups with a total of 71 students on three commuter campuses in the Pacific Northwest, we offer a detailed description of the experiences and characteristics of commuter students as they pertain to sexual and relationship violence programming and prevention, the associated nature of commuter campus communities, and the resulting lack of visibility of the issue of sexual and relationship violence on commuter campuses. We conclude that creative, tailored approaches to prevention and response services on commuter campuses are needed to address the unique circumstances and challenges facing commuter campus students.

Victimization and Food Addiction Symptoms: Direct and Indirect Effects through Emotion Dysregulation, Impulsivity, and Loss-of-Control Eating

Previous research suggests that dating, intimate partner, and sexual violence victimization throughout the lifespan are predictive of numerous adverse health outcomes including addictive behaviors, psychopathology, and physical health symptoms. Self-medication hypotheses posit that victims may drink heavily, use substances, or rely on food to cope with negative affect and psychological symptoms. We examined a self-medication hypothesis-driven model linking dating and sexual violence victimization with food addiction symptoms through their relationships with emotion regulation, impulsivity, and loss-of-control eating in a sample of 313 single, non-treatment-engaged, college student women aged 18-25 years old enrolled in a minority serving, urban university. Participants completed an online survey with measures of dating and sexual violence victimization since age 14 years, emotion regulation, impulsivity, loss-of-control eating, and food addiction symptoms. Seventy-nine percent of participants reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence victimization. Using path analyses, we found some support for our model, as well as significant, positive, direct pathways from victimization to loss-of-control eating and food addiction symptoms. Clinicians and policy makers should incorporate these findings into practice by honoring the experiences of past victimizations in current health behaviors and by utilizing trauma-informed care practices. To extend this study's findings, researchers should examine the role of trauma-informed interventions targeting emotional regulation and impulsivity to decrease loss-of-control eating and food addiction symptoms.

Weekly Drinking and Binge Drinking Mediate the Association Between Drinking Location and Sexual Coercion

It has been well documented that alcohol use is a risk factor for sexual assault. However, few studies have examined how alcohol use is associated with sexual coercion experiences. Furthermore, off-campus parties and bars are drinking locations where alcohol use is high among college students. It is important to determine other risk factors, such as the drinking location, that may affect alcohol use and sexual coercion. The current study examined whether alcohol use (drinks per week and binge drinking) mediated the association between drinking location frequency (off-campus party and bar/restaurant) and experiencing sexual coercion in the past 30 days. Participants were N = 295 young adult (M_age = 21.17 years, SD = 2.70) undergraduate women who reported drinking at least once in the past 30 days and completed an online survey. Results revealed that 88 (29.8%) participants experienced sexual coercion in the past 30 days. Participants who experienced sexual coercion in the past 30 days reported greater drinks per week, were more likely to binge drink, and reported drinking more frequently at off-campus parties than those who had not experienced sexual coercion. Drinks per week significantly mediated the relationship between drinking location frequency (off-campus party and bar/restaurant) and sexual coercion. Specifically, more frequent drinking at off-campus parties and bars/restaurants was associated with greater drinks per week, which in turn was related to experiencing sexual coercion in the past 30 days. Binge drinking significantly mediated the association between frequency of drinking at a bar/restaurant and sexual coercion, but not off-campus drinking frequency. Findings suggest that college student alcohol interventions that target harm reduction should consider including information about how the drinking location may intersect with alcohol use to increase risk for sexual coercion.

Intimate Partner Sexual Violence and Mental Health Indicators Among Chinese Emerging Adults

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) among emerging adults, including heterosexuals and sexual minorities in the Chinese population, is poorly understood. Focusing on college students, the objectives of the present study were to estimate the prevalence of IPSV among Chinese emerging adults, examine the association between sexual orientation and IPSV, and evaluate the mental health and quality of life of survivors of IPSV. Data were collected from four university campuses in Hong Kong. A total of 1,015 participants were included in the data analysis. The prevalence of IPSV as identified by Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS)-2 was 12.1%. There was no gender difference in the prevalence of IPSV. Multiple logistic regression found that being older; having experienced childhood sexual abuse and having a smoking habit; and belonging to a sexual minority were factors associated with IPSV. Multiple linear regression found that IPSV survivors were more likely to have higher levels of anxiety and depression, more severe psychosomatic symptoms, and poorer quality of life in three domains: psychological, social relationships, and environment when compared with those without IPSV experience. The documented factors underscored the importance of awareness that men and sexual minorities might incur IPSV, which should receive more attention in IPSV prevention programs. Also, interventions for IPSV survivors should be targeted at improving their mental health and quality of life and sex education should place more emphasis on sexual consent and sexual health in dating relationships.

Does Perpetrator Occupation Affect Classification of Sexual Assault?

Classification of sexual assault varies based on the characteristics of the victim, perpetrator, and event. However, most studies focus on the individual characteristics of participants asked to classify the assault, the victims' characteristics, or the event; few have examined variations in the perpetrator. Therefore, this study examined whether the occupation of the perpetrator affected the classification of the event as sexual assault. Participants included a primarily White female sample of undergraduate students (n = 401) at a south-Atlantic university. They completed a paper-and-pencil survey containing an ambiguous sexual assault encounter where the occupation of the perpetrator (athlete, reporter, college student, or politician) was randomly varied. Participants were asked to classify whether the encounter was sexual assault and what an appropriate punishment might be. Additional measures included the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (IRMA) and questions about personal experience with sexual assault. Overall, most participants labeled the encounter as sexual assault, indicating that college students are aware of the legal parameters for providing consent. However, this classification occurred differentially based on the occupation of the perpetrator. Participants were most likely to label the athlete as committing sexual assault, followed by the college student, politician, and reporter, respectively. Females and those who reject rape myths were more likely to label the scenario as sexual assault. A "personal apology" and a "sexual rehabilitation program" were the most common punishments selected for the perpetrator. These findings highlight potential concerns and the need for additional training when college students adjudicate sexual assault reports and determine appropriate consequences.

Polyvictimization and Cybervictimization Among College Students From France: The Mediation Role of Psychological Distress and Resilience

Few studies have explored potential associations between polyvictimization and cybervictimization and even fewer have involved in college-age sample. As it has been shown in the literature, polyvictimization is associated with higher psychological distress and lower resilience. This study is aimed to model the association between polyvictimization and cybervictimization by testing the mediating role of psychological distress and resilience. The sample included 4,626 undergraduates from France. Participants completed questionnaires assessing cybervictimization, polyvictimization (emotional abuse from parents, exposure to interparental violence, parental neglect, unwanted sexual touching, and unwanted sexual intercourse), psychological distress, and resilience. Results show that each form of victimization considered was significantly associated with cybervictimization. Also, polyvictimized participants presented higher prevalence of cybervictimization. The association between polyvictimization and cybervictimization was partially mediated positively by psychological distress and negatively by resilience. In fact, more cybervictimization was observed among polyvictimized participants with a high score of psychological distress, whereas fewer cybervictimization was observed in those with a high score of resilience. This study provides a new understanding of the mechanisms involved in cybervictimization that can help to better prevent and intervene with victims. Our results suggest that mental health professionals should assess childhood experiences of victimization when they are working with cybervictims. They also suggest the need for mental health professionals to help both polyvictimized and cybervictimized youth to develop resilience skills and coping strategies.

Intimate Partner Violence: Childhood Witnessing and Subsequent Experiences of College Undergraduates

Previous work links witnessing adult violence in the home during childhood ("witnessing") and adolescent relationship violence, but studies are limited to recent experiences with one or two outcomes, missing the holistic viewpoint describing lifetime experiences across multiple types of violence. We measured associations between witnessing and victimization (being harmed by violence) and perpetration (causing harm by violence) among males and females for the three most common types of adolescent relationship violence (physical, sexual, and emotional), and we assessed whether students experienced multiple outcomes ("polyvictimization/ polyperpetration"). We also compared sex-specific differences to assess for additive effect modification. We used an anonymous, cross-sectional survey with 907 undergraduates attending randomly selected classes at three urban East Coast colleges. Multiple logistic regression and marginal standardization were used to estimate predicted probabilities for each outcome among witnesses and non-witnesses; additive interaction by sex was assessed using quantifiable measures. 214 (24%) students reported witnessing and 403 (44%) students experienced adolescent relationship violence, with 162 (17.9%) and 37 (4.1%) experiencing polyvictimization and polyperpetration, respectively. Witnesses had higher risk than non-witnesses for physical, sexual, and emotional victimization and perpetration. Notably, witnesses also had higher risk for polyvictimization and polyperpetration. Additive effect modification by sex was insignificant at 95% confidence bounds, but distinct patterns emerged for males and females. Except for sexual victimization, female witnesses were more likely than female non-witnesses to experience all forms of victimization, including polyvictimization; they also had higher risk for perpetration, particularly physical perpetration. In contrast, victimization outcomes did not differ for male witnesses, but male witnesses were more likely than male non-witnesses to perpetrate all forms of violence, including polyperpetration.

Risk Factors for Sexual Violence Among College Students in Dating Relationships: An Ecological Approach

College students in dating relationships are vulnerable to sexual violence given that nine out of 10 acts of sexual violence are perpetrated by acquaintances, friends, or dating partners. Although past research has explored the risk factors for sexual violence, few studies have considered multileveled factors associated with sexual violence. This study uses the ecological model to investigate the risk factors for sexual violence among college students in dating relationships. Domains of individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels were examined for their associations with sexual victimization. A prevalidated survey was conducted among 361 undergraduates in dating relationships from a public university in the south central United States. Chi-square tests and negative binomial regression analysis were conducted. Approximately 35% of the college students reported experiencing some form of sexual violence perpetrated by their dating partner including attempted and completed rapes. College women reported having experienced significantly higher rates of sexual violence in comparison with college men. On the contrary, this study documents the significant higher prevalence of sexual violence among heterosexual students than among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer college students for experiencing at least one type of sexual violence or unwanted sexual contacts in a dating relationship. Sexual victimization is associated with gender, sexual assertiveness, the frequency of hookups, peer deviance, parental involvement, and perceived discrimination. Participants' gender, frequent hookups, and lower sexual assertiveness are positively associated with risk of sexual victimization across all types of sexual violence. Multilevel prevention programs and strategies are needed on campuses to reduce sexual victimization among college students in dating relationships.

College Campus Sexual Assault and Female Students With Disabilities

College campus sexual assault is well-documented as a pervasive problem among U.S. colleges and universities, with female college students at the greatest risk. Although more than 30 years of research has been dedicated to uncovering college campus sexual assault and identifying risk factors for victimization, few studies have looked at the relationship between female students with disabilities and college campus sexual assault victimization. The present study uses data from the female respondents (N = 22,828) of the American College Health Association's Fall 2016 National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) to explore the relationship between female college campus sexual assault victimization and disability status. The analysis finds that disability status produces significantly greater increased odds for sexual assault than other commonly cited risk factors such as binge drinking, drug use, or Greek affiliation. Specifically, female students with disabilities are at increased odds for any type of sexual assault compared with female students without disabilities (odds ratio [OR] = 1.96; p < .001). This increases when looking at specific types of assault. Female students with disabilities were over 100% more likely to experience completed assaults (OR = 2.34; p < .001), attempted assaults, (OR = 2.03; p < .001), and relationship assaults (OR = 2.22; p < .001) compared to female students without disabilities. Analysis also indicates differences in other significant independent variables when sexual assault status is broken down into categories of completed sexual assaults, attempted sexual assaults, and relationship sexual assaults. In addition, the types of disability showing significance vary between the different types of assault. These findings have important policy implications for campus violence prevention and intervention and suggest multiple avenues for further research.