Jacqueline Woerner

Sexual violence (SV; i.e., rape, being made to penetrate another person, sexual coercion, non-consensual contact, and non-contact unwanted sexual experiences such as verbal harassment) is a pervasi...

The majority of sexual violence perpetrators are men and, therefore it is important to examine factors that contribute to sexual aggression behaviors among men. Motives for engaging in sex is an under-investigated factor that may contribute to sexual aggression. We examined the association between six motives for sex (self-affirmation, coping, enhancement, peer approval, partner approval, and intimacy) and sexual aggression in young adult men in the United States over a four-week time span. Participants (N = 733) were men between 18 and 35 years of age, recruited from CloudResearch to complete three surveys: baseline, 2-week follow-up, and 4-week follow-up. We conducted negative binomial hurdle regression models to examine the association between sex motives and sexual aggression. Results showed that coping and self-affirmation motives at baseline predicted likelihood of sexual aggression at 2- and 4-week follow-up. Intimacy, peer approval, partner approval, and enhancement sex motives were not associated with sexual aggression at 2- or 4-week follow-up. Motives for sex, specifically coping and self-affirmation, may play a role in the engagement in sexual aggression. Findings contribute to our knowledge of why men engage in sexual aggression and may be useful in the identification of individuals who are at increased risk for perpetrating sexual aggression.

Sex‐related alcohol expectancies about oneself and one's partner vary across time and context, yet alcohol‐related sexual violence research predominantly measures alcohol expectancies as stable traits. Sexually active, non‐abstinent men completed a sexual aggression analog scenario. After indicating a preference for a female or male hypothetical partner, participants were randomized to a scenario depicting a highly or low intoxicated partner, and they reported sex‐related alcohol expectancies and sexual interest for themselves and their partner at four points across the scenario as well as their sexual aggression intentions. Repeated‐measures ANOVA and latent growth curve modeling suggested self‐ and partner‐specific sex‐related alcohol expectancies and sexual interest fluctuated across the scenario. Less acute decreases in self‐ and partner‐sex‐related alcohol expectancies and perceived sexual interest following partner sexual refusal were associated with sexual aggression intentions. Prevention research and program development should incorporate a dynamic conceptualization of alcohol expectancies when examining sexual assault perpetration risks.

Why might women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) become more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior? Women’s interest in casual sex may satisfy relational expectations and connection needs, while avoiding the types of close attachments that previously were violent. Specifically, attachment avoidance was tested as a mechanism linking IPV victimization and risky sexual behavior. Women who experienced (vs. did not experience) partner violence reported higher rates of risky sexual behavior, and this association was mediated by attachment avoidance (Study 1, N = 312; age range 18–58 years, M = 28). Making IPV salient via an experimental manipulation caused more avoidant perceptions (Study 2, N = 140; age range 19–57 years, M = 31), and inducing an avoidant mindset via an experimental manipulation caused greater sexual interest (Study 3, N = 128; age range 19–66 years, M = 33). These findings suggest that IPV disrupts expectations of security and reinforces a manner of connecting with partners that leads to risky sexual encounters.

Despite a plethora of research examining campus dating and sexual violence (DSV) risk and protective factors, little of this research has been conducted at non-traditional institutions such as minority-serving institutions (MSIs), community colleges, or non-predominantly white institutions. A review of research on statistically significant protective and risk factors for campus perpetration or victimization at non-traditional institutions resulted in 12 articles. The inclusion criteria for the study were that the article was in English, in a peer-reviewed journal, and published between 2010 and 2021. Keyword searches identified 1,160 articles on campus DSV, which were then screened to ensure the quantitative research was conducted at a non-traditional institution. Significant perpetration and victimization factors, characteristics of the samples and institutions of these studies, and the research design were extracted. Few studies included in the review investigated DSV at MSIs, commuter campuses, or community colleges. Also, studies more commonly examined victimization, risk factors, and sexual violence, as opposed to perpetration, protective factors, or dating violence. Cross-cutting factors for both dating and sexual violence included alcohol and drug use, demographics, and prior abuse. Cross-cutting factors for both victimization and perpetration included personality characteristics, alcohol and drug use, demographics, and history of abuse. Future research should investigate DSV at non-traditional institutions to increase our understanding of risk and protective factors at these rarely studied institutions.

The co-occurrence of physical, psychological, and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with heightened risk for deleterious mental and physical health outcomes, including PTSD symptoms and substance use. However, few studies have investigated the heterogeneity of experiences with respect to this co-occurrence among women who experience IPV as it unfolds naturally in women’s daily lives. In this study, we developed a novel approach to classify and visualize daily patterns of IPV experiences, PTSD-related distress, and substance use among women who experience IPV. Women (N = 244, Mage = 37.1 years) who reported experiencing IPV and using substances were recruited from the community. Micro-longitudinal data were collected four times per day for 14 days using automated telephone-based data collection. Analyses included latent class analysis (LCA) and multilevel analysis (interval-, day-, and person-level), complimented by novel data visualization tool (EventFlow). We identified three classes that significantly differed in the prevalence of and patterns among IPV types, PTSD, and substance use. Based on examination of LCA results and visualization of the latent classes in EventFlow. Different patterns of associations among IPV types, PTSD symptoms, and substance use were identified within classes at the interval-, day-, and person-level. Results from this study provide greater insight into the heterogeneity of women’s lived experiences than do studies solely relying on cross-sectional survey data. Findings with this type of data collection can inform the development of interventions to increase the precision in clinical practice, identify new avenues for future research, and have important policy implications.

Endorsing problematic sexual violence-related attitudes including rape myth acceptance (RMA), hostile sexism, and disapproval of sexual consent is associated with negative outcomes, including the perpetration of sexual violence. This study examined social connections as a protective factor for sexual violence-related attitudes among a sample of 770 participants. Results indicate that in the full sample, connections to a workplace were protective for RMA and hostile sexism while family connections were protective for disapproval of sexual consent, RMA, and hostile sexism. Patterns of other social connections differed in separate models for men and women. Unexpected findings indicating that connections to a religious social group are a risk, not a protective, factor are discussed.