Sexually Coercive Behavior in Male Youth: Population Survey of General and Specific Risk Factors

Abstract

Little is known about risk/protective factors for sexually coercive behavior in general population youth. We used a Swedish school-based population survey of sexual attitudes and experiences (response rate 77%) and investigated literature-based variables across sexually coercive (SEX), non-sexual conduct problem (CP), and normal control (NC) participants to identify general and specific risk/protective factors for sexual coercion. Among 1,933 male youth, 101 (5.2%) reported sexual coercion (ever talked or forced somebody into genital, oral, or anal sex) (SEX), 132 (6.8%) were classified as CP, and the remaining 1,700 (87.9%) as NC. Of 29 tested variables, 25 were more common in both SEX and CP compared to NC youth, including minority ethnicity, separated parents, vocational study program, risk-taking, aggressiveness, depressive symptoms, substance abuse, sexual victimization, extensive sexual experiences, and sexual preoccupation. When compared to CP youth only, SEX youth more often followed academic study programs, used less drugs and were less risk-taking. Further, SEX more frequently than CP youth reported gender stereotypic and pro-rape attitudes, sexual preoccupation, prostitution, and friends using violent porn. Finally, in a multivariate logistic regression, academic study program, pro-rape attitudes, sexual preoccupation, and less risk-taking independently remained more strongly associated with SEX compared to CP offending. In conclusion, several sociodemographic, family, and individual risk/protective factors were common to non-sexual and sexually coercive antisocial behavior in late adolescence. However, pro-rape cognitions, and sexual preoccupation, were sexuality-related, specific risk factors. The findings could inform preventive efforts and the assessment and treatment of sexually coercive male youth.

Pornography, Sexual Coercion and Abuse and Sexting in Young People’s Intimate Relationships: A European Study

“…However, while boys might focus on the benefits, this research identified a clear association between regular viewing of online pornography and perpetration of sexual coercion and abuse by boys. Although we lack evidence concerning the direction of causality in this relationship, this is consistent with the picture that is developing from research with young people in the general population (Flood, 2009;Kjellgren et al, 2010;2011).…”

“…Kjellgren et al (2010) found that young Swedish men who used sexually coercive behaviour and those who had conduct problems were more likely to have watched pornography frequently or to prefer violent pornography than the control group. Young women from Sweden and Norway who used sexually coercive behaviour had also watched violent pornography significantly more than the control group.…”

Assessing stereotypes of adolescent rape

“…Empirical research generally supports the link between childhood sexual abuse and adolescent sex offending (Burton, 2000(Burton, , 2003Johnson & Knight, 2000;Kjellgren, Priebe, Svedin, & Långström, 2010;Leguizamo, 2000;Sigurdsson, Gudjonsson, Asgeirsdottir, & Sigfusdottir, 2010;Tarren-Sweeney, 2008;Van Wijk, Vreugdenhil, van Horn, Vermeiren, & Doreleijers, 2007) as do recent meta-analyses (Seto & Lalumière, 2010;Whitaker et al, 2008). There is also evidence of an association between the use of sex as a coping mechanism and sexual assault among adults (Cortoni & Marshall, 2001;Feelgood, Cortoni, & Thompson, 2005;Whitaker et al, 2008;see Marshall, Marshall, Sachdev, & Kruger, 2003 for one exception).…”

“…A contrasting line of reasoning suggests that juvenile sex offenders may have later onset of sexual intercourse with consenting partners and fewer age-appropriate sexual partners due to social skills deficits (Daleiden, Kaufman, Hilliker, & O'Neil, 1998;Seto & Lalumière, 2010). Existing research on the effect of age at first sex on adolescent sexual assault is inconclusive: a nationally representative study in the U.S. found no direct effect , whereas a nationally representative Swedish study reported that sexually coercive young males had their first sexual intercourse at a younger age than others (Kjellgren et al, 2010). These different findings may reflect the former study's particular focus on sexual coercion between romantic partners.…”

Men’s Objectifying Media Consumption, Objectification of Women, and Attitudes Supportive of Violence Against Women

“…It will be important for future studies to assess men's exposure to objectifying depictions of women across both traditional and emergent mainstream media (Nielsen, 2014b). Second, while studies of the effects of objectifying media have most often useditemsfromBurt(1980)toassess ASV (Hald etal.,2010;Mundorf et al, 2007), and while scores on these items are predictive of collegiateand other men's sexually aggressive behavior (Anderson & Anderson, 2008;Carr & VanDeusen, 2004;Kjellgren, Priebe, Svedin, & Langstrom, 2010;Vega & Malamuth, 2007;Yost & Zurbriggen, 2006), future studies should consider employing additional assessments. Payne, Lonsway, and Fitzgerald (1999) argued that the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale improves upon the clarity and wording of Burt's items.…”