Words Can Hurt: A Taxonomy of Verbally Pressured Sexual Exploitation in the SES-V

This article describes the development of the Verbally Pressured Sexual Exploitation module of the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES)-Victimization (introduced by Koss et al., 2024). This module assesses the use of verbal or nonphysical, paraverbal pressure to obtain sexual acts without freely given permission. An interdisciplinary team of seven sexual exploitation researchers collaborated to create this module, with consultation from the full 15 member SES-V revision collaboration team. In this paper, we describe our process for developing this module. We briefly review empirical literature and theoretical frameworks (e.g., rape scripts, normative sexual scripts, intersectionality, and sex-positivity) that informed this work. Summary tables compare the SES-V items to verbal pressure items in prior versions of the SES and to other existing measures of violence. The comprehensive taxonomy developed herein includes six domains of Verbally Pressured sexual exploitation across 11 item stems. The components of the taxonomy include: positive verbal pressure, neutral verbal pressure, negative verbal pressure, substance-related pressure, postural violence, and threats to critical resources. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research, with priority on intersectional research that can illuminate the phenomenology and contexts of sexual exploitation against marginalized groups.

Sexual Assault Among College Women: The Role of Survivor Acknowledgment, Rape Myth Acceptance, Weight Bias, and Body Appreciation

Approximately one in five college women experience a sexual assault (SA), though a meaningful percentage of survivors do not acknowledge or label their experience as such. Research indicates that acknowledgment status is often influenced by how closely SA incidents align with the "real rape" script and degree of survivor rape myth acceptance (RMA). However, studies evaluating acknowledgment paired with other attitudes and health outcomes among survivors is sparse. The current study examined the relation between acknowledgment status, RMA, weight-related constructs, and psychological well-being among three groups of college women (N = 584): non-survivors, unacknowledged survivors, and acknowledged survivors. Findings indicate that, among survivors, acknowledged compared to unacknowledged SA is significantly associated with diminished body appreciation, self-esteem, and increased internalized weight bias, though no differences in psychological distress were found.

Using Epistemic Injustice to Examine Scholarship About Sexual Violence Among Students With Minoritized Identities

We engaged in a content analysis of 10 years of scholarship about students of color, students with disabilities, and queer and/or trans students and sexual violence (SV). Our findings indicate that most of the scholarship centering students with minoritized identities focuses on prevalence and risk factors associated with SV and lacks theoretical frameworks relevant to the populations being studied. Employing epistemic injustice as a framework, we argue the implications of excluding students with minoritized identities in the scholarship about SV results in ineffective research and practice, which ultimately results in continued high rates of SV for all students.

Why do rape victimization rates vary across studies? A meta-analysis examining moderating variables

Research studies have identified multiple study- and sample-related factors that predict variation in the proportion of participants who report experiences of rape (non-consensual oral, anal, or vaginal penetration obtained by force, threat of force, and/or victim incapacitation). The magnitude of variation introduced by these methodological variables is often unclear, which can complicate attempts to compare findings across research studies. With the goal of identifying and quantifying sources of variation, we conducted a meta-analysis that compared rates of rape experienced by women in the United States during adolescence or adulthood. 6391 research articles were evaluated for inclusion and 84 studies (89 independent samples) met inclusion criteria. Results of a random-effects meta-analysis found that an average of 17.0 % (95 % CI [15.7 %, 18.3 %]) of participants across samples reported experiences of rape in adolescence or adulthood. The mean participant age, source of the sample, perpetration tactics included in the measure, and interaction between sample source and perpetration tactics each predicted significant variation in the proportion of victims identified. Participant recruitment method, publication year, and the earliest age included in the reference period did not predict significant variation. These findings clarify the impact of methodological variables on observed victimization rates and provide context that can inform comparisons across sexual victimization studies.

What Are the Chances? Perceived Risk of Sexual Victimization for Self and Others Among College Women

Awareness of vulnerability to a negative outcome is considered a necessary first step to risk reduction and prevention behaviors. Accordingly, sexual assault awareness programs have sought to inform college students of the prevalence of college sexual victimization and the risk factors that contribute. The goal of the current study was to consider the degree to which incoming college freshman women recognize their risk of experiencing sexual victimization and to examine whether risk factors such as alcohol use contribute to those perceived chances. Freshman women (N = 252) were recruited via email early in the Fall semester to participate in an online survey. As expected, women perceived their own chances of sexual victimization (21.4%) to be lower than those of the average freshman at the same university (43.7%). Prior sexual victimization, typical drinking, and expected hookups predicted higher perceived risk of being victimized. Only prior victimization predicted higher perceived risk of sexual victimization for others. On average, freshman women acknowledge their substantial risk of experiencing sexual victimization during their first year of college and overestimate the chances that others will be victimized. Findings show high awareness of sexual assault and its risk factors among college students but point toward a need for prevention that goes beyond education and awareness campaigns.

Links of Perceived Pornography Realism with Sexual Aggression via Sexual Scripts, Sexual Behavior, and Acceptance of Sexual Coercion: A Study with German University Students

Exposure to pornographic material has been linked to sexual aggression perpetration and victimization in a large body of research. Based on social learning theory and ₃A theory of script learning, this study contributes to this research by testing the hypothesis that the more realistic pornography is perceived to be by young adults, the more likely they are to experience and engage in sexual aggression. Two underlying pathways were proposed: one path via scripts and patterns of sexual behavior regarding consensual sexual interactions that contain established risk factors for sexual aggression victimization and perpetration, and a second path via the acceptance of sexual coercion. In a cross-sectional study, 1181 university students in Germany (762 female; 419 male) completed measures of pornography use and perception, risky sexual scripts and sexual behavior, and acceptance of sexual coercion. As predicted, pornography realism was a positive predictor of risky sexual scripts, risky sexual behavior, and acceptance of sexual coercion. Indirect links with sexual aggression victimization and perpetration were found via both pathways. No gender differences in the associations were found. The implications for media literacy interventions addressing the realism of pornography are discussed.

Unacknowledged Rape and Re-Victimization Risk

The majority of college women who experience rape do not conceptualize their experience as a victimization, that is, they are unacknowledged victims. There is some initial evidence that unacknowledged victims are at elevated re-victimization risk relative to acknowledged victims. In the current study, we sought to identify mediators of the association between acknowledgment of rape and re-victimization in a sample of 319 college rape victims; 187 (58.6%) participants completed a 2-month follow-up study. We examined regular drinking, number of sexual partners, and continuing a relationship with the assailant as potential mediators of the relation between acknowledgment and re-victimization. At follow-up, unacknowledged victims reported higher rates of new attempted (16.2%) and completed rape (11.9%), relative to acknowledged victims (attempted: 7.9%; completed: 3.0%). Number of sexual partners mediated the relation between acknowledgment and attempted rape. Both number of partners and regular drinking mediated the relation between acknowledgment and completed rape. Thus, not acknowledging rape may be associated with re-victimization in part because unacknowledged victims may be more likely to engage in behaviors that increase vulnerability. We believe there is a need for longitudinal, theoretically grounded research examining risky behaviors, victimization, and acknowledgment status over time to delineate the relations among these variables. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ' s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/page/pwq/suppl/index