Christine A. Gidycz

A Prospective Analysis Of The Relationships Among Sexual Assault Experiences: An Extension of Previous Findings

Research has indicated that sexual assault on college campuses is pervasive (Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987) and that a history of sexual victimization serves as a risk factor for future victimization (Gidycz, Coble, Latham, & Layman, 1993). The purpose of the present investigation was to extend the findings of Gidycz et al. (1993) in examining the link among sexual victimization experiences. College women were evaluated for child and adolescent sexual victimization, family adjustment, alcohol use, psychological adjustment, interpersonal functioning, and sexual behavior. Women were re-evaluated at 3, 5-6, and 9 months for adult victimization, psychological adjustment, interpersonal functioning, and sexual behavior. Loglinear analysis indicated that chances of being victimized in one time period increased with greater severity of victimization in the preceding time period. The path analysis assessing the mediating effects of these variables on victimization experiences was partially supported. Implications for future research and preventative efforts are discussed.

Preventing Sexual Aggression Among College Men: An Evaluation of a Social Norms and Bystander Intervention Program

Men and women living in randomly selected 1st-year dormitories participated in tailored single-sex sexual assault prevention or risk-reduction programs, respectively. An evaluation of the men’s project is presented (N = 635). The program incorporated social norms and bystander intervention education and had an impact on self-reported sexual aggression and an effect on men’s perceptions that their peers would intervene when they encountered inappropriate behavior in others. Relative to the control group, participants also reported less reinforcement for engaging in sexually aggressive behavior, reported fewer associations with sexually aggressive peers, and indicated less exposure to sexually explicit media.

Evaluation of a sexual assault prevention program

The purpose of this investigation was to empirically evaluate a sexual assault prevention program. Of the 360 female college students who participated in the investigation, 181 students were in the treatment group and 165 students were in the control group. Although the program was not effective in decreasing the incidence of sexual assault for women with a sexual assault history, it was effective in decreasing the incidence of sexual assault for women without a sexual assault history. The program also led to a decrease in dating behaviors found to be associated with acquaintance rape and an increase in knowledge about sexual assault for the treatment group. The implications of these results for future preventive efforts are discussed.

Dating violence among college men and women: evaluation of a theoretical model

This study empirically evaluates the Riggs and O’Leary (1989) model of dating violence. A sample of 200 college students completes assessments concerning the occurrence of violence in their dating relationships. The incidence of self-reported partner violence is 25% for women and 10% for men. Multivariate logistic regression analyses are performed to determine the most salient predictors of dating violence for each gender. Findings reveal that the model is more accurate in predicting female, as compared with male perpetration of dating violence. The model accurately classifies 83% of violent women and only 30% of violent men. This study has several implications for the field of dating violence. Results indicate that although there is some degree of overlap, variant constructs predict violence for each gender. Identifying these constructs will guide prevention efforts in more effectively decreasing the occurrence of dating violence.

A Prospective Analysis of Sexual Assault Perpetration Risk Factors Related to Perpetrator Characteristics

This study prospectively evaluated perpetrator risk factors for sexual assault perpetration, including peer influences, beliefs and attitudes about sexuality, alcohol use, and token resistance. Perpetration of sexual assault was evaluated at three time periods: pretest, 3-month follow-up, and 7-month follow-up. Retrospective and prospective analyses yielded differential predictors of sexually aggressive behavior. However, perpetration of sexual assault at any particular assessment period was a predictor of perpetration during the subsequent follow-up period. Furthermore, several variables that have previously been demonstrated in the literature to be related to the perpetration of sexual assault were not significant in regression analyses, indicating that these variables may be rendered insignificant when accounting for past perpetration in prospective analyses. These findings may have significant potential impact on development of sexual assault prevention programming with men.

THE EVALUATION OF A SEXUAL ASSAULT SELF-DEFENSE AND RISK-REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE WOMEN: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a sexual assault risk-reduction program that included a physical self-defense component for college women (N = 500). Program group women significantly increased their protective behaviors over the 6-month follow-up period compared to the waiting-list control group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding rates of sexual victimization, assertive communication, or feelings of self-efficacy over the follow-up periods. Program group women who were victimized during the 3-month follow-up period evidenced less self-blame and greater offender blame for their assaults than control group women who were victimized following the program. Given that program women evidenced a greater awareness of sexual assault at the end of the study than control group women, the difficulty in addressing the impact of programming on rates of sexual victimization is discussed.

Predictors of Perpetration of Verbal, Physical, and Sexual Violence: A Prospective Analysis of College Men

The current study utilized a prospective design to explore the relationship between alcohol use, athletic participation, fraternity membership, early sexual experiences, and the perpetration of verbal, physical, and sexual aggression among college men over a 3-month interim (N = 425). A series of hierarchical logistic regressions explored the relationship between these risk factors and subsequent perpetration of violence. Previous perpetration of verbal, physical, or sexual aggression was the only predictor of perpetrating that form of aggression over the follow-up. Given that the study of aggression is typically retrospective, and rarely encompasses various types of violence, implications for future preventative efforts among college populations are discussed.

EVALUATION OF A SEXUAL ASSAULT RISK REDUCTION AND SELF-DEFENSE PROGRAM: A PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF A REVISED PROTOCOL

The current study extends the development and evaluation of an existing and previously evaluated sexual assault risk reduction program with a self-defense component for college women (N = 300). The program protocol was revised to address psychological barriers to responding assertively to risky dating situations, and a placebo-control group was utilized rather than a wait-list control group. Relative to the placebo-control group, the program was effective in increasing levels of self-protective behaviors, self-efficacy in resisting against potential attackers, and use of assertive sexual communication over a 4-month interim. Results also suggested reduction of incidence of rape among program participants over the 2-month follow-up. Implications for future development and evaluation of sexual assault risk reduction programming are presented.

To Whom Do College Women Confide Following Sexual Assault? A Prospective Study of Predictors of Sexual Assault Disclosure and Social Reactions:

A prospective methodology was used to explore predictors of sexual assault disclosure among college women, identify who women tell about sexual victimization, and examine the responses of informal support providers (N = 374). Women most often confided in a female peer. Increased coping via seeking emotional support, strong attachments, and high tendency to disclose stressful information predicted adolescent sexual assault disclosure and disclosure over the 7-month interim. Less acquaintance with the perpetrator predicted disclosure over the follow-up, including experiences of revictimization. Victim and perpetrator alcohol use at the time of the assault also predicted disclosure over the follow-up. Implications are presented.

Factors Predicting the Type of Tactics Used to Resist Sexual Assault: A Prospective Study of College Women

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