Background Predictors and Event-Specific Characteristics of Sexual Aggression Incidents: The Roles of Alcohol and Other Factors

Proximal Motives of Sexual Arousal, Power, and Relationship for Sexual Aggression: Supporting the Millennial Shift

We examined three proximal motives for sexual aggression (sexual persistence after a turn down): sexual arousal, power, and relationship. The MTurk sample consisted of 264 adults: 92 Millennial men (35%), 51 Millennial women (19%), 82 Gen X men (31%) and 39 Gen X women (15%). The motive data, measured by the Sexual Aggression Motive Assessment (SAMA), were unanalyzed data extracted from the authors' previous study of the Millennial shift, a phenomenon in which Millennial women, as compared to older generation women, showed higher levels of sexual aggression, while Millennial men, in comparison to older generation men, demonstrated lower levels of sexual aggression. For all respondents combined, the most chosen motive category was sexual arousal (95%), followed by relationship (49%), and then by power (18%) with 50% choosing two or more motive categories. Providing conceptual support for the Millennial shift, significantly more Millennial women than Gen X women chose motives of sexual arousal and power as reasons for perpetrating sexual aggression. An important finding for the relationship motive is that substantial numbers of both men and women engaged in sexual aggression because they felt that having sex would make the person like them.

Examining the Moderating Role of Heavy Drinking Behaviors and Precarious Masculinity on Sexual Aggression Among Young Adult Men

OBJECTIVE

Men's heavy drinking behaviors are related to their engagement in sexual aggression and may be amplified by other factors, such as precarious masculinity (i.e., perceiving masculinity as tenuous in nature). Yet, researchers' understanding of how alcohol consumption, in combination with precarious masculinity, may increase risk of sexual aggression is lacking. The goal of this study was to assess if precarious masculinity moderated the relationship between men's heavy drinking and their sexual aggression.

METHOD

Young adult men (958 men, M age = 21.1 years, SD = 3.1) completed a web-administered questionnaire assessing sexual aggression, heavy drinking, and precarious masculinity.

RESULTS

We ran a logistic regression examining the association between heavy drinking, precarious masculinity, and their interactive effect on men's engagement in sexual aggression. Heavy drinking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17) and precarious masculinity (OR = 1.73) were independently and positively associated with men's sexual aggression; however, the interaction was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

In line with prior research, men's heavy drinking behaviors continue to be positively associated with sexual aggression. Building on masculinity literature, men viewing their masculinity as precarious and vulnerable appears to be associated with sexual aggression, potentially because engaging in sexual aggression can offset men's masculinity insecurities. Collectively, results suggest that both alcohol consumption and masculinity should be targeted in sexual assault prevention programs.

Associations Among Alcohol-Related Factors and Men's Nonconsensual Condom Removal Perpetration

Nonconsensual condom removal (NCCR) is a form of sexual violence that a significant minority of men use to obtain unprotected sex. Experiencing NCCR is associated with serious physical and mental health consequences, such as sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, anxiety, and depression. Alcohol use is known to be associated with sexual violence in general; however, limited research has been done on the association between alcohol-related factors and NCCR specifically. Thus, the present study examined the associations between event-level drinking, daily drinking, drinking motives, alcohol expectancies, and NCCR. Young, single, heterosexually active men (N = 96) completed cross-sectional measures of their NCCR behavior, event-level drinking, drinking motives, and alcohol expectancies. A total of 19 (19.8%) participants reported successfully engaging in NCCR at least once since age 14. Results showed that consuming more alcohol during the event, having more highly intoxicated partners, drinking to enhance sex, and holding more negative alcohol expectancies were associated with increased likelihood of NCCR. To effectively decrease the rates of NCCR, prevention efforts could aim to decrease event-level alcohol consumption for both men and their partners and to challenge men's beliefs regarding alcohol's role in sexual behavior. Given the current study's limitations, future studies should consider employing an ecological momentary assessment design to avoid recall bias and include more diverse samples to increase the generalizability of findings.

Typical Drinking, Sensation Seeking, and Alcohol Expectancies Regarding Sexual Coercion as Predictors of Coercive Condom Use Resistance Perpetration

Although condoms are effective at preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies, condom use resistance (CUR) remains prominent. In particular, coercive CUR, or the use of coercive tactics to resist condom use with a partner who wants to use one, comprises a unique combination of sexual aggression and risky sexual behaviors, making it especially problematic. The present study sought to examine the relationship between coercive CUR and a variety of factors associated with both sexual aggression and risky sexual behaviors (e.g., typical alcohol consumption, alcohol expectancies regarding sexual aggression, and sensation seeking) to determine whether such factors may also contribute to the etiology of coercive CUR. To do so, a nationwide study of 102 young, heterosexual men who had previously perpetrated coercive CUR were recruited to complete an online, cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using a hierarchical linear regression model, which showed that alcohol expectancies regarding sexual coercion and sensation seeking moderated the relationship between typical drinking quantity and previous coercive CUR perpetration, such that typical drinking was positively associated with coercive CUR among men who reported greater sensation seeking and alcohol expectancies regarding sexual coercion. However, among men who were low in one or both of these factors, typical drinking was not associated with coercive CUR. These results suggest that typical drinking, alcohol expectancies, and sensation seeking may all be important to the etiology of coercive CUR, and that a reduction in one or more may be sufficient to reduce the likelihood of coercive CUR perpetration. Future research should confirm these findings using experimental and/or longitudinal methodologies and seek to develop intervention programs targeting typical alcohol use, alcohol expectancies related to sexual coercion, and sensation seeking in young men.

Components of Hostile Masculinity and Their Associations With Male-Perpetrated Sexual Aggression Toward Women: A Systematic Review

Hostile masculinity and its components (i.e., sexual dominance, hostility toward women, adversarial sexual beliefs, rape myth acceptance, and acceptance of interpersonal violence) have received considerable research attention as predictors of male-perpetrated sexual aggression toward women. The current systematic review sought to synthesize and organize the extant literature. Studies were included in the systematic review if they were published in a peer-reviewed journal between the years 1990 and 2020, contained a male sample within the United States, analyzed quantitative data, and examined at least one component of hostile masculinity and its association with sexual aggression. Literature searches were conducted in three academic databases, and additional records were identified through references sections from known hostile masculinity research. A total of 95 articles met inclusion criteria and were integrated into the overview of results. The reviewed literature provided broad support for the association between hostile masculinity and sexual aggression, including evidence for the theoretical framework posited by the confluence model of sexual aggression. Prevention efforts are likely to find success by modifying hostile masculine characteristics among men, particularly within problematic environmental contexts. However, the review also highlighted the need for a uniform conceptualization and operational definition of hostile masculinity. Additionally, empirical work with diverse samples is necessary to determine the scope of generalizability and potential subcultural distinctions. Future research that addresses these limitations will contribute to the understanding and prevention of sexual aggression beyond what is provided by the extant literature.

Power-Related Emotions, Alcohol Intoxication, and Nonconsensual Sex Intentions: The Role of Fear of Intimacy

The problem of alcohol-involved sexual assault against women highlights the need to identify how the presence of alcohol interacts with risk factors associated with sexual assault perpetration. One risk factor for sexual assault perpetration is fear of intimacy, the inhibited capacity to exchange vulnerable thoughts and emotions with a valued individual. Men who have perpetrated sexual violence report higher fear of intimacy and alcohol use than those who have not. However, little research has investigated how fear of intimacy may contribute to sexual assault perpetration in the context of alcohol intoxication. This study examined alcohol intoxication, fear of intimacy, proximal power-related emotions, and nonconsensual sex intentions. Non-monogamous, male social drinkers (N = 94) completed measures and were randomly assigned to an alcohol condition (alcohol [BrAC = .10%] versus control). Participants then read a sexual assault analogue scenario depicting sexual assault against a hypothetical woman and reported power-related emotions and nonconsensual sex intentions. Self-reported fear of intimacy differed across types of past perpetration. Results found that for intoxicated men only, fear of intimacy was positively associated with power-related emotions, and power-related emotions were positively associated with nonconsensual sex intentions. These associations were not observed for men in the control condition who did not consume alcohol. Future research should examine intimacy-related interventions for sexual assault prevention programming.

Posttraumatic cognitions and sexual assault: Understanding the role of cognition type in posttraumatic stress symptoms and problematic alcohol use

Identifying potential mechanisms underlying the association between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and problematic alcohol use is an important target among college women who have experienced sexual assault. This study examined the role of posttraumatic cognitions in this association among college women (N = 530) who experienced either an alcohol-involved assault or non-alcohol-involved assault, using baseline assessment data from a larger study examining cognitive and emotional risk factors for problem drinking. Conditional path analysis was used to examine the indirect effects of posttraumatic cognitions on the association between PTSS and alcohol use consequences, with assault type as a moderator. The findings revealed a significant indirect path from PTSS to alcohol use consequences through posttraumatic cognitions, B = 0.21, SE = 0.04, p < .001, 95% CI [0.13, 0.29], β = .16, R2 = .32. Exploratory analyses revealed a significant conditional indirect effect through self-blame cognitions, R2 = .31, whereby the indirect effect of self-blame on the association between posttraumatic stress and alcohol consequences was present among participants who experienced alcohol-involved assault, B = 0.10, SE = 0.03, p < .001, 95% CI [0.06, 0.16], β = .07, but not among those who experienced a non-alcohol-involved assault, B = 0.03, SE = 0.03, p = 0.32, 95% CI [-0.02, 0.08], β = .02. Posttraumatic cognitions are a potential mechanism underlying the link between posttraumatic stress and alcohol consequences. Addressing posttraumatic cognitions, particularly those related to self-blame, may be an important target for interventions promoting healthy recovery following alcohol-involved assault.

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.

Acute Alcohol Intoxication, State Anger, and Sexual Assault Perpetration: The Role of State Emotion Regulation

OBJECTIVE

Alcohol-involved sexual assault remains a pervasive problem, with extensive individual- and societal-level costs. Emotion regulation (ER), the process through which an individual modulates emotional states, remains an understudied predictor of sexual assault perpetration, with past research focusing on general ER tendencies (e.g., trait ER) as predictors of sexual assault perpetration. This study sought to examine the associations between state ER on sexual assault perpetration in the context of state anger and acute alcohol intoxication.

METHOD

Single, male social drinkers aged 21-30 with a history of sexual risk-taking (N = 92) participated in an alcohol administration paradigm and were randomly assigned to an alcohol condition [sober control vs. intoxicated (BrAC = .10%)]. Intoxicated and sober participants completed a sexual assault analogue that assessed state anger, state ER, and sexual assault perpetration intentions against a hypothetical female partner.

RESULTS

Path analysis demonstrated interactive effects of state ER and state anger on sexual assault perpetration intentions. Relative to men with low and moderate levels of anger, state ER was associated with lower intentions to perpetrate sexual assault for men with high levels of anger. Alcohol intoxication did not directly predict state ER, state anger, or sexual assault perpetration intentions.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that state ER may be protective against sexual assault perpetration for men who experience anger in response to a partner's expression of non-consent. Because replication is necessary, the results carry tentative implications for state ER as an intervention target for sexual assault prevention programming.

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.

Alcohol and cannabis co-use and social context as risk pathways to sexual assault

Objective: Simultaneous use of alcohol in combination with cannabis ("co-use") is common among young adults, and associated with myriad consequences. Yet no studies have examined how co-use may confer vulnerability for sexual assault (SA). Further, though both co-use and SA commonly occur in social settings, there have been no examinations of the role that co-use may play in the broader social context that leads to assault risk. This was the objective of the present study. Method: In a community sample of young adult women, (N = 174; Mage = 22.6), we examined risk pathways to SA, guided by Routine Activities Theory (Mustaine & Tewksbury, Criminal Justice Review, 2002, 27, 89). Using a longitudinal burst design with 27 daily assessments across 1 year, women reported on their own and others' alcohol, cannabis, and co-use, and on social context and assault experiences. Results: Multilevel path model results showed alcohol and cannabis co-use to confer unique risk for SA, above and beyond the influence of use of either substance alone. Intoxication and components of the co-use social context (proximity to offenders) mediated this risk. Importantly, we observed a key role for co-use by others within the social context in assault risk. Conclusions: This study adds to the literature by providing a nuanced and contextual account of how cannabis-alcohol co-use may lead to assault vulnerability in young adult women. Findings underscore the need for intervention efforts that expand their focus to include the broader social context, and the role that the use and co-use behaviors of others may play within this context. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Too Common to Count? "Mild" Sexual Assault and Aggression among U.S. College Women

National estimates indicate that approximately 1 in 5 women will experience sexual assault during her time in college. However, measures of assault often exclude "mild" experiences, such as incidents of unwanted touching that were not preceded by force, incapacitation, or coercion. We aimed to document the characteristics of "mild" sexual assault and aggression that college women experience at large parties and bars. In addition, we considered women's descriptions of assaultive and aggressive incidents in the context of campus climate survey items to evaluate the potential for measurement gaps. Across six focus groups (N = 36) at a large, public university in the midwestern U.S., women described routine experiences of "mild" sexual assault and aggression, so common that often only imprecise counts of their frequency (e.g., "all the time") were possible. Our findings document the many forms and frequencies of "mild" assault and aggression in college women's lives, as well as the limits of campus climate surveys in measuring the mundane sexual mistreatment of women in campus life. We develop the term "sexualized aggression" to capture such mistreatment and situate this concept within the larger body of research on campus sexual violence.

The Differential Influence of Drinking, Sensation Seeking, and Impulsivity on the Perpetration of Unwanted Sexual Advances and Sexual Coercion

There are startling rates of sexual coercion across college campuses, underscoring the importance of identifying risk factors and intervening early to prevent perpetration of these unwanted sexual events. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of impulsivity, sensation seeking, and alcohol use on the odds of perpetrating unwanted sexual advances (i.e., forced fondling, kissing, or petting) and sexual coercion (i.e., sexual intercourse through arguments, pressure, or physical force) during the subsequent 6 years. Male participants (N = 901) were part of a 6-year longitudinal study, which explored alcohol use and associated behavioral risks throughout emerging adulthood. Participants provided self-reported surveys across 6 years, starting the summer before their start of college. Using logistic regression models, these analyses examined the main effects and interactions of impulsivity, sensation seeking, and alcohol use, measured during the summer before the start of college, on the odds of perpetrating one or multiple instances of unwanted sexual advances and sexual coercion across the subsequent 6 years. Results indicated that higher levels of sensation seeking and heavier drinking on drinking days during high school contributed to greater odds of being a one-time perpetrator of unwanted sexual advances during the next 6 years. Conversely, impulsivity, but not alcohol use, was associated with greater risk of perpetrating multiple instances of both unwanted sexual advances and sexual coercion. Alcohol use did not significantly moderate the influence of personality on perpetration. These results underscore the importance of early intervention and using impulsivity and sensation seeking to tailor current prevention efforts to decrease the likelihood of sexual coercion perpetration during college.

Predicting Sexual Offenders' Specialization/Versatility: The Role of Impulsivity and Moral Reasoning

The main purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the predictive ability of impulsivity and moral reasoning on offending specialization/versatility. The latter was measured using the diversity index which calculates the amount of variation within an individual's criminal history. The sample consisted of 88 individuals convicted of sexual offenses incarcerated in a Portuguese prison. Group comparisons and multiple linear regression analyses on untransformed and corrected versions of the diversity index were conducted. Overall, the different versions of the diversity index presented disparate results. Individuals were found to be generally alike, but those convicted of rape tended to be more versatile than those who molested extrafamilial children. Moral reasoning was the strongest predictor of offending specialization/versatility, while impulsivity was mostly not statistically significant. A better understanding of these predictors' roles on offending specialization/versatility, as it relates to recidivism, is important to tailor successful interventions.

Prospective Risk for Incapacitated Rape Among Sexual Minority Women: Hookups and Drinking

Sexual minority women (SMW), including lesbian and bisexual women, are at greater risk for heavy drinking and sexual victimization than heterosexual women. Risk factors for alcohol-related sexual victimization, such as incapacitated rape (IR), include frequent heavy drinking and hookups among heterosexual women, but it is less clear whether these risk factors extend to SMW. This current study was designed to address this gap. In a national sample of SMW (N = 1,057), logistic regressions were used to test whether heavy drinking and hookups in the first year of the study were risk factors for IR during the second year. After controlling for history of prior sexual victimization, subsequent IR was predicted by an interaction between heavy drinking and the number of male hookup partners. Specifically, more frequent heavy drinking was associated with increased risk for subsequent IR, but only among SMW who reported more than one male hookup partner, indicating exposure to more potential perpetrators. When examined separately, this finding held for bisexual women, but was not significant for lesbian women, likely because they reported fewer male hookup partners. Overall, findings from this longitudinal study highlight that in combination, heavy drinking and hookups with multiple men elevate risk for IR.

Examining the Roles of Heavy Episodic Drinking, Drinking Venues, and Sociosexuality in College Men's Sexual Aggression

OBJECTIVE

College men's alcohol consumption is positively associated with sexual aggression perpetration, yet men's drinking does not typically predict later sexual assault after accounting for risk factors, such as impersonal sexuality. In the present study, we tested an indirect effects model whereby college men's impersonal sex orientation and heavy episodic drinking (HED) were hypothesized to contribute to sexual aggression perpetration via more frequent attendance at drinking venues (parties, bars).

METHOD

Freshman males (N = 1,043) were recruited to participate in a five-semester study. Key measures included the Sociosexuality Index as a measure of impersonal sex attitudes and behaviors, frequency of HED, and frequency of attending drinking venues (parties, bars). The dichotomous outcome measure was based on the Sexual Strategies Survey, a measure of tactics used to convince a female partner to have sex. Structural equation modeling was used to examine whether sociosexuality attitudes, sociosexuality behaviors, and HED (all measured at Wave 1) would have direct and indirect effects on use of Wave 5 sexual aggression tactics, through effects on Wave 3 venue attendance.

RESULTS

The model supported the hypothesized indirect effects of sociosexuality and HED via men's subsequent drinking venue attendance and was preferred over alternative models.

CONCLUSIONS

College men who more frequently attended drinking "hot spots" were more likely to perpetrate subsequent sexual aggression, supporting a growing body of evidence on the importance of drinking venues in college sexual assault. Findings also help to explicate the mechanism underlying the robust role of impersonal sex orientation in sexual aggression.

Relationships among impulsive, addictive and sexual tendencies and behaviours: a systematic review of experimental and prospective studies in humans

Impulsivity's relationships to addictive and sexual behaviours raise questions regarding the extent impulsivity may constitute a vulnerability factor for subsequent addictive and sexual behaviours and/or results from each of these. Here, we systematically reviewed empirical support for impulsivity as a precipitating factor or a consequence of addictive or sexual behaviours. We restricted ourselves to recent, human studies with assessments over time, including at least one measure of impulsivity, addictive and sexual behaviours, yielding a review including 29 published reports from 28 studies. Findings point to generalized, self-reported impulsivity as a predictor of addictive and sexual behaviours at a wide range of severity, with elements of both impulsivity and compulsivity to these acts. Alcohol consumption often increases impulsive behaviour, including inclinations towards impulsive and potentially compulsive sexual acts. Research using the Sexual Delay Discounting Task has yielded findings linking impulsivity, addictive and sexual behaviour and as such is a valuable research tool that should be used more extensively. The present review identified gaps to be addressed in further research that concurrently examines facets of impulsivity, addictive and sexual behaviours, especially because criteria for compulsive sexual behaviour disorder have been included in the eleventh edition of the International Classification of Diseases. This article is part of the theme issue 'Risk taking and impulsive behaviour: fundamental discoveries, theoretical perspectives and clinical implications'.

An Event-Level Investigation of Factors Associated With Young Women's Experiences of Coerced Consensual Sex

Little is known about instances of coerced consensual sex in which women report both that they consented to have sex and that their partner used coercive tactics (e.g., made threats) to get them to have sex when they did not want to. Yet, these experiences are frequently reported by young sexually active women. We examined the relationship between sexual victimization history and the woman's level of alcohol intoxication in the likelihood of experiencing coerced consensual sex using event-level data collected over a 1-year period from 548 young adult nonproblem drinking women who engaged in sexual activity with men. Twenty percent (n = 112) reported at least one incident of coerced consensual sex. A generalized estimating equation model revealed main effects of daily estimated blood alcohol content (eBAC) and sexual victimization severity. The more women increased their alcohol consumption above their own average and the more severe their sexual victimization history, the more likely they were to experience coerced consensual sex. Our findings highlight the fact that coercion and consent are not mutually exclusive in some situations and shed light on this important yet understudied coercive sexual experience.

Do Men Use More Sexually Aggressive Tactics When Intoxicated? A Within-Person Examination of Naturally Occurring Episodes of Sex

OBJECTIVE

Men's alcohol use has been linked to sexual assault perpetration. Yet, it is unknown whether within naturally-occurring sexual encounters men use more sexually aggressive tactics when they are intoxicated. The present study considered whether college men's perceived intoxication at the time of sex increased their self-reported use of verbal persuasion, physical force, and encouraged intoxication of partner as tactics to convince a woman to have sex.

METHOD

As part of a 56-day daily report study, 298 college freshman males reported 1,832 episodes of sexual activity with female partners. Using multilevel modeling, we considered the within-person effects of subjective intoxication, sexual precedence (new versus previous partner), and perceived partner sexual interest on male use of sexually aggressive strategies within each sexual encounter. We also considered whether the impact of event-specific intoxication was moderated by individual differences in hostility toward women, delinquency, and impersonal sex.

RESULTS

Greater subjective intoxication at the time of sex predicted greater use of verbal persuasion and encouraging intoxication of partner. Although intoxication did not predict physical force directly, there were indirect effects via greater verbal persuasion and encouraging partner intoxication. Event-specific intoxication did not interact with any of the individual difference variables and only hostility toward women contributed positively to use of event-specific sexually aggression.

CONCLUSIONS

Men's intoxication at the time of sexual activity increases their use of sexually aggressive strategies within naturally-occurring sexual encounters. Findings help to explain the robust relationship between alcohol use and sexual assault found in college populations.

Are trauma memories state-dependent? Intrusive memories following alcohol-involved sexual assault

Background: Sexual assault (SA) frequently occurs under the influence of alcohol, and is often followed by both drinking and posttraumatic stress symptoms, including intrusive memories. Although many theories attempt to explain the co-occurrence of alcohol use and posttraumatic stress, one possibility not yet considered is that SA memories may be more likely to occur when there is an encoding-retrieval match in alcohol intoxication state. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the potential for intrusive memories of SA to be state-dependent, such that intrusive memories for alcohol-involved SA may be more likely to occur in the context of subsequent alcohol intoxication. Method: Participants were 100 college women (age range = 18 to 24 years; 73% White/Caucasian, 89% heterosexual) with a history of alcohol-involved SA (67%) or other, non-alcohol-involved SA (33%). Participants completed daily questionnaires for 30 days assessing past-day drinking and intrusion symptoms. Results: A random-intercept, negative binomial multilevel model revealed that, after controlling for overall frequency of drinking and perceived threat during SA, women with a history of alcohol-involved SA reported more severe intrusion symptoms on drinking days than on non-drinking days. No such difference in intrusions was observed for women who were not intoxicated at the time of the assault. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with the possibility of state-dependent intrusive memories. Additional research is needed to determine whether alcohol intoxication might serve as a discriminative cue preceding intrusive memories of alcohol-involved SA.

Examining the Roles of Heavy Episodic Drinking, Drinking Venues, and Sociosexuality in College Men's Sexual Aggression

OBJECTIVE

College men's alcohol consumption is positively associated with sexual aggression perpetration, yet men's drinking does not typically predict later sexual assault after accounting for risk factors, such as impersonal sexuality. In the present study, we tested an indirect effects model whereby college men's impersonal sex orientation and heavy episodic drinking (HED) were hypothesized to contribute to sexual aggression perpetration via more frequent attendance at drinking venues (parties, bars).

METHOD

Freshman males (N = 1,043) were recruited to participate in a five-semester study. Key measures included the Sociosexuality Index as a measure of impersonal sex attitudes and behaviors, frequency of HED, and frequency of attending drinking venues (parties, bars). The dichotomous outcome measure was based on the Sexual Strategies Survey, a measure of tactics used to convince a female partner to have sex. Structural equation modeling was used to examine whether sociosexuality attitudes, sociosexuality behaviors, and HED (all measured at Wave 1) would have direct and indirect effects on use of Wave 5 sexual aggression tactics, through effects on Wave 3 venue attendance.

RESULTS

The model supported the hypothesized indirect effects of sociosexuality and HED via men's subsequent drinking venue attendance and was preferred over alternative models.

CONCLUSIONS

College men who more frequently attended drinking "hot spots" were more likely to perpetrate subsequent sexual aggression, supporting a growing body of evidence on the importance of drinking venues in college sexual assault. Findings also help to explicate the mechanism underlying the robust role of impersonal sex orientation in sexual aggression.

Young Women's Experiences with Coercive and Noncoercive Condom Use Resistance: Examination of an Understudied Sexual Risk Behavior

OBJECTIVES

To investigate young women's engagement in and receipt of condom use resistance (CUR; attempts to avoid condom use with a partner who wants to use one), including nonconsensual condom removal ("stealthing"), with male partners.

METHODS

Participants were 503 women aged 21-30 years with increased sexual risk characteristics recruited from 2013 to 2017. Participants completed measures assessing sexual victimization history and CUR experiences.

RESULTS

Findings indicated that 87% of women experienced noncoercive CUR from a partner and 49% experienced coercive CUR. Of these women, 58% and 19% reported having engaged in noncoercive and coercive CUR, respectively. Twelve percent of women had a partner engage in stealthing; none of the women engaged in stealthing. The severity of sexual victimization history was positively associated with both use and receipt of coercive and noncoercive CUR. Diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections were positively associated with receipt of, but not engagement in, CUR.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings demonstrate that sexual victimization and both the use and receipt of CUR are positively related for young women, suggesting that prevention efforts focusing on women's sexual health would benefit from joint consideration of sexual violence and risk behaviors and that such efforts should target victims of sexual violence.

A longitudinal study of interest and membership in a fraternity, rape myth acceptance, and proclivity to perpetrate sexual assault

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the relation between interest and membership in a fraternity and acceptance of sexual violence (eg, rape myth acceptance, proclivity to perpetrate sexual aggression) among first year college men.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 315 men were surveyed before their first year of college (June-August 2010) and again at 4 time points over the next year.

METHODS

Participants responded to measures of rape myth acceptance and proclivity to perpetrate sexual aggression.

RESULTS

Interested members scored higher on proclivity to perpetrate sexual aggression and some rape myths than noninterested nonmembers; interested nonmembers scored in between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Results highlight the importance of considering both fraternity membership and interest in joining a fraternity, as well as examining individual rape myths, in studies of fraternity membership and sexual violence.

The Intersection of Men's Sexual Violence Perpetration and Sexual Risk Behavior: A Literature Review

According to the Confluence Model of Sexual Violence, men with a strong impersonal sex orientation (i.e., greater engagement in sexual activities with more casual sexual partners) are at increased risk of perpetrating sexual violence. Research from a variety of countries and samples has supported this proposition, finding that men who perpetrate sexual violence are also more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. The present article reviews this literature, synthesizing research findings from both psychology and public health domains utilizing both domestic and international samples. In particular, this review focuses on the associations between men's perpetration of sexual violence and their sexual partners, condom use, and sexually transmitted infection status, as well as provides recommendations for future research directions and prevention and intervention programming.

Child Sexual Abuse and Negative Affect as Shared Risk Factors for Sexual Aggression and Sexual HIV Risk Behavior in Heterosexual Men

Previous research has suggested that sexually aggressive behavior and sexual HIV risk behavior are associated. Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a well-established risk factor for both types of problematic sexual behavior. Negative affect (i.e., anxiety, depression, and anger) is a less well-studied risk factor, but it has been theorized to relate to both sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior. Thus, this study sought to (1) confirm the relationship between sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior, (2) establish CSA and negative affect as shared risk factors for sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior, and (3) evaluate whether negative affect mediates the relationship between CSA and sexual aggression and between CSA and HIV sexual risk in a sample of heterosexual men. We recruited 18- to 30-year-old heterosexual men (N = 377) from urban sexually transmitted infection clinics. Men completed measures of sexual HIV risk history (number of partners and condom use), sexual aggression history, CSA history, and trait negative affect (anger, anxiety, and depression). Structural equation modeling was used to examine hypothesized direct and indirect relationships. In the final SEM model, sexual aggression history and sexual HIV risk behavior were correlated. CSA was associated with both types of problematic sexual behavior. Anxiety significantly mediated the relationship between CSA and sexual aggression and between CSA and sexual HIV risk behavior (χ ²[1300] = 2121.79, p < .001; CFI = 0.905; RMSEA [90% CI] = .044 [.041-.047]). Sexual aggression appears to be part of a constellation of sexual risk behaviors; thus, it may be possible to develop prevention programs that target both sexual HIV risk and sexual aggression. CSA is a shared risk factor for sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior through the pathway of anxiety. Thus, anxiety might be one promising target for intervention.

Depressive Symptoms, Acute Alcohol Intoxication, and Risk Rationale Effects on Men's Condom Use Resistance

This study examined the role of depressive symptoms, acute intoxication, and risk rationale in men's use of condom use resistance (CUR) tactics in an experimental study. Participants included 313 heterosexual male, nonproblem drinkers, ages 21 to 30. Participants were randomized to one of four beverage conditions: no alcohol, placebo, low (.04%) alcohol dose, or high (.08%) alcohol dose. They read an eroticized scenario depicting a consensual sexual encounter with a female partner who requested a condom to prevent either pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (risk rationale) and then indicated their intentions to use 10 different CUR tactics. Hypotheses related to the pharmacological, dosage, and expectancy effects of alcohol were tested in a generalized linear model. In intoxicated (.04% and .08%) men who were given a pregnancy risk rationale, depressive symptoms were associated with stronger intentions to use CUR tactics than in sober (control and placebo) men. Men who received a high alcohol dose (.08%) and who were given a pregnancy risk rationale reported higher intentions to use CUR tactics than those who received a lower alcohol dose (.04%). Findings suggest that the pharmacological effects of alcohol on men's likelihood to resist condoms vary by the saliency of the risk rationale and mood-related variables.

Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence in Europe: The Role of Socioeconomic Status, Inequality, and Partner Behavior

This article presents an analysis of determinants of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the European Union (EU). Based on an EU-wide survey with 42,000 women that examined women's diverse experiences of violence-from violence by strangers to sexual harassment-this article looks specifically at the survey's research with respect to the occurrence of IPV in current partnerships. The analysis explores selected determinants of IPV by focusing on specific indicators in relation to a couple's socioeconomic status, and analyzes inequalities in the sense of unequal distribution of resources. In addition, a partner's behavior outside a relationship, as captured through specific survey questions, is looked at as providing additional evidence of factors that strongly indicate IPV. The results of the article show that, when averaging across the EU Member States, among couples with lower socioeconomic status, there is higher prevalence of violence. In particular, women reporting problems with their household income also report higher rates of IPV. Furthermore, women suffer more often from violence if they do not have an equal say about household income. While reported inequality in income between partners, in the sense of a partner earning more or less than a woman, does not show a consistent result, a woman who reports having less say about the family income is more likely to experience IPV. This result points to the importance of "norm" related inequality compared with actual inequality with respect to IPV, which holds true across all EU Member States. Finally, a partner's behavior-in terms of being violent outside a relationship and frequently getting drunk-shows a strong influence on women reporting incidents of IPV across all countries in the survey.