Cyber Sexual Harassment: Prevalence and association with substance use, poor mental health, and STI history among sexually active adolescent girls

Abstract

Introduction:The current study aims to assess the prevalence, perpetrators, and consequences of cyber sexual harassment (CSH) among adolescent females. Methods: Sexually active adolescent females (N = 159) ages 15-19 were recruited from a health clinic in a low-income, urban area of southeast San Diego County, California to complete a tabletadministered survey that included items on sexual violence and harassment, including CSH. Using logistic regression models, we assessed CSH in relation to substance use, poor mental health outcomes and STI history. Results: Participants were, on average, 17 years of age and half were currently in a relationship. The majority of girls (68%) reported at least one form of CSH, which included receiving unwanted sexual messages/photos (53%), receiving unwanted messages asking them to do something sexual (49%), being pressured to send sexual photos (36%), and having sexual photos shared without permission (6%). Perpetrators included known and unknown males; almost a third (27%) reported perpetration by a relationship partner. In logistic regression models adjusting for race, CSH was associated with: past 30-day alcohol use, drug use (ever), feeling depressed (past 30 days), and feeling anxious (past 30 days) (Odds Ratios ranged: 2.9-7.5). CSH was also associated with past-year suicidal thoughts and STI diagnosis (ever) (p < 0.05, ORs not presented due to small numbers). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in some subgroups, CSH appears to be affecting the majority of girls, which is especially concerning given its association with multiple poor health outcomes.

Online sexual harassment and negative mood in Croatian female adolescents

“…The lifetime prevalence of OSH in the current study (43%) appears substantially lower than a recent study among 17-year-old female Californian adolescents (68%) [ 25 ]. Differences in measurement of OSH (the operationalization of cyber sexual harassment in the Reed et al study included being pressured to sext) are likely to explain some of the disparity.…”

“…Future research could also explore a few other plausible moderators of the observed cross-sectional association between OSH and negative mood. Of particular relevance might be peer support, which can be assessed in detail using ego-centered network analysis [ 31 ], illicit drug and alcohol use [ 25 ], and the parallel experience of (cyber)bullying [ 32 ]—which may amplify emotional reactions to OSH.…”

A Bioecological Theory of Sexual Harassment of Girls: Research Synthesis and Proposed Model

“…In this article, we assert that the prevalence and tolerance of sexual harassment and assault by boys against girls is an expected developmental consequence of the modern cultural context in which girls and boys are socialized. Previous research on sexual harassment of girls has focused primarily on adolescence, and on the "who, what, and where" when sexual harassment occurs (e.g., Doty et al, 2017;Hill & Kearl, 2011;Jewell & Brown, 2013;Lichty & Campbell, 2012;Reed et al, 2019;Timmerman, 2003Timmerman, , 2005. When research has focused on children prior to adolescence, the focus has been on how adverse childhood experiences predict perpetration or victimization of sexual harassment and assault (e.g.…”

Cyber Sexual Harassment: A Summary of Current Measures and Implications for Future Research

“…While insightful, the most frequently used questions (unwanted requests to talk online about sex, unwanted requests for sexual information, and unwanted requests to do something sexual) may not adequately capture unwanted requests for or being pressured to send sexual messages or images, yet such scenarios have been reported in high proportions (Choi, Van Ouytsel, & Temple, 2016; Lippman & Campbell, 2014; Montiel, Carbonell, & Pereda, 2016). Nonconsensual sexting, which can include being pressured to send sexual images as well as to have sexual images shared without consent, has been identified in several studies on sexting (Drouin, Ross, & Tobin, 2015; Madigan et al, 2018; Reed et al, 2019; Walrave, Heirman, & Hallam, 2014). Based on these existing studies, CSH measures also need to specifically capture the prevalence of experiencing pressure or coercion to send sexual messages and/or images, as well as how often sexting occurs as a result of being pressured or coerced.…”

“…Based on these existing studies, CSH measures also need to specifically capture the prevalence of experiencing pressure or coercion to send sexual messages and/or images, as well as how often sexting occurs as a result of being pressured or coerced. While multiple studies have reported poor health outcomes related to sexting, particularly among adolescent girls, these consequences may be largely a result of high proportions reporting being pressured into sexting (Choi et al, 2016; Reed et al, 2019; Van Ouytsel, Walrave, Ponnet, & Heirman, 2015; Ybarra & Mitchell, 2014). Additional aspects that should be further explored to inform future measures include the perpetrator type and the contexts of sexual solicitations, such as on which digital platforms these occurrences are happening most often (e.g., texting, online messaging, video chat) and the ways in which images/videos may be shared and create vulnerability.…”