Reports of Rape Reperpetration by Newly Enlisted Male Navy Personnel

Abstract

This study examined the frequency and characteristics of repeated attempted and completed rape (ACR) incidents reported by newly enlisted male navy personnel (N=1146) who participated in a longitudinal study during the transition from civilian to military life. Overall, 13% (n=144) reported engaging in sexual behavior that approximates legal definitions of ACR since the age of 14. Among those men, most (71%) reperpetrated ACR incidents (M = 6.36, SD = 9.55). Demographic variables were unrelated to perpetration history. Regardless of time period, respondents reported perpetrating primarily completed rather than attempted rape, perpetrating multiple ACR incidents rather than a single incident, using substances to incapacitate victims more frequently than force, and knowing their victim rather than targeting a stranger in completed rape incidents.

A Review of the Literature on Sexual Assault Perpetrator Characteristics and Behaviors

“…The likelihood of perpetrating assault while in the military, however, was associated with sexual assault perpetration prior to joining the military. Men who reported having perpetrated assault prior to their military service were more than ten times more likely to perpetrate sexual assault in the military than men who did not report committing sexual assault prior to joining the military (McWhorter et al, 2009).…”

“…The only significant factor associated with sexual assault perpetration was marital status; men who were married were least likely to report having perpetrated sexual assault (Stander et al, 2008). A longitudinal study of Navy recruits surveyed participants about their sexual assault experiences prior to entering the military as well as during their first year of military service (McWhorter et al, 2009). At one year of service, 13 percent of the sample reported perpetrating at least one incident of sexual assault since the age of 14; 9 percent reported only perpetrating sexual assault prior to joining the military, 2 percent reported perpetrating sexual assault both before and during military service, and another 2 percent reported only committing sexual assault while serving in the military.…”

“…Another study of sexual assault perpetration and re-perpetration among Navy service members, both before joining the military and during their first year of service, found that 75 percent of perpetrators committed sexual assault against only victims they knew. Seven percent reported perpetrating assault against only strangers, and another 18 percent reported having committed assault against both strangers and known victims (McWhorter et al, 2009). When looking at methods of attack and type of victim, researchers found that most perpetrators did not report using force to perpetrate sexual assault against a stranger.…”

Predicting Sexual Assault Perpetration in the U.S. Army Using Administrative Data

“…12,13 In both civilian and military literatures, personality traits (e.g., psychopathy), attitudes-beliefs (e.g., hyper-masculinity), and prior behavioral problems (e.g., heavy alcohol use, delinquency) have been associated with increased perpetration risk. Knowledge of these risk factors has led to the development of recidivism risk prediction tools in forensic psychiatric settings for prior sexual assault perpetrators.…”

Young men’s likelihood ratings to be sexually aggressive as a function of norms and perceived sexual interest.

“…In fact, recent research on per petration patterns suggests that a small minority of men perpetrates a large number of sexual assaults and could be considered serial perpetrators. (Loh, Gidycz, Lobo, & Luthra, 2005;Loh, Orchowski, Gidycz, & Elizaga, 2007;McWhorter, Stander, Merrill, Thomsen, & Milner, 2009). Many studies looking at external factors as well as internal characteristics of perpetrators of sexual assault have been conducted; however, few of these were rigorous experimental designs.…”