The #MeToo movement and perceptions of sexual assault: College students’ recognition of sexual assault experiences over time.

Jaffe, Anna E.; Cero, Ian; DiLillo, David

doi:10.1037/vio0000363

Cited by 44 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…They should also aim to develop understandings of how ‘more serious’, coercive and/or aberrant behaviors increase when ‘less serious’ behaviors are perceived as normal and acceptable, so feeding into ‘rape culture’. In doing so, such interventions may expand the numbers, types and/or levels of behaviors understood as sexual harassment [ 46 , 47 ] and disrupt its normalization [ 63 ], thus impacting both attitudes and perceived peer norms. Theories of reasoned action, which have been adopted to help explain many different types of behavior, including adolescent sexual harassment [ 74 , 75 ], propose that behaviors are influenced by an individual’s attitudes (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is possible that some of the factors identified in these older studies may have changed over time. While one study comparing undergraduates in 1990 and 2000 found “surprisingly few cohort differences in the perception of harassment” [ 46 ] p344, another, comparing data gathered before and during the #MeToo movement found past unwanted experiences were increasingly recognized as ‘sexual assault’ over time [ 47 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexual harassment in secondary school: Prevalence and ambiguities. A mixed methods study in Scottish schools

et al. 2022

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Background Adolescence is characterized by identity formation, exploration and initiation of intimate relationships. Much of this occurs at school, making schools key sites of sexual harassment. Schools often lack awareness and understanding of the issue, and UK research on the topic is scarce. We explored prevalence and perceptions of sexual harassment in a school-based mixed-methods study of 13–17 year-old Scottish adolescents. Methods A student survey (N = 638) assessed past 3-months school-based victimization and perpetration prevalence via 17 behavioral items based on the most commonly used school-based sexual harassment measure (‘Hostile Hallways’). Eighteen focus groups (N = 119 students) explored which of 10 behaviors were perceived as harassing/unacceptable and why. Results Two-thirds reported any victimization: 64.7% ‘visual/verbal’ (e.g. sexual jokes) and 34.3% ‘contact/personally-invasive’ behaviors (e.g. sexual touching; most of whom also reported experiencing visual/verbal types) in the past 3-months. Data suggested a gateway effect, such that contact/personally-invasive behaviors are more likely to be reported by those also reporting more common visual/verbal behaviors. Some survey participants reported being unsure about whether they had experienced certain behaviors; and in focus groups, participants expressed uncertainty regarding the acceptability of most behaviors. Ambiguities centered on behavioral context and enactment including: degree of pressure, persistence and physicality; degree of familiarity between the instigator-recipient; and perception of the instigator’s intent. In attempting to resolve ambiguities, students applied normative schemas underpinned by rights (to dignity, respect and equality) and ‘knowingness’, usually engendered by friendship. Conclusions Our study confirms school-based sexual harassment is common but also finds significant nuance in the ways in which students distinguish between acceptable and harassing. School-based strategies to tackle sexual harassment must engage with this complexity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual harassment in secondary school: Prevalence and ambiguities. A mixed methods study in Scottish schools

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Undergraduate students were recruited for a larger prospective study about "life experiences" from Spring 2018 through Spring 2020 (Jaffe et al, 2021a(Jaffe et al, , 2021b. Recruitment occurred through a psychology subject pool at a large university in the Midwestern region of the United States.…”

Section: Methods Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Data were collected for a larger study of college students, which has resulted in two other published manuscripts to date. Jaffe et al (2021a) focused on endorsement of behaviorally specific and Slabeled reports of sexual assault over time. Jaffe et al (2021b) focused on college student drinking trends over time.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Resilience to suicidal ideation among college sexual assault survivors: The protective role of optimism and gratitude in the context of posttraumatic stress.

Kumar¹,

Jaffe²,

Brock³

et al. 2022

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Objective: Posttraumatic stress symptoms related to sexual assault have been linked to greater suicidal ideation, yet little is known about protective factors that may weaken this link and reduce thoughts of suicide in the context of posttraumatic stress. Drawing on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions and prior research, psychological strengths associated with resilience, such as optimism and gratitude, have the potential to be associated with attenuated suicidal ideation among sexual assault survivors. Method: We tested this possibility in a sample of 425 undergraduate women who reported unwanted sexual experiences during adolescence or adulthood. Results: A linear regression analysis revealed that greater sexual assault-related posttraumatic stress symptoms in the past month were associated with greater concurrent suicidal ideation. However, moderation analyses revealed the link between assault-related posttraumatic stress and suicidal ideation was attenuated for individuals higher in optimism and gratitude. Further, at the highest levels of optimism and gratitude, there was no longer a significant association between posttraumatic stress and suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Given optimism and gratitude are modifiable strengths that individuals can develop and grow over time, these results suggest boosting optimism and gratitude may be a valuable way to attenuate thoughts of suicide in interventions for college women who have experienced sexual assault. Clinical Impact StatementAfter a sexual assault, posttraumatic stress symptoms are often associated with thoughts of suicide. To inform intervention strategies that promote survivors' wellbeing and reduce suicidal ideation, we examined the psychological strengths of optimism and gratitude as possible protective factors. Among college women sexual assault survivors, optimism and gratitude attenuated the link between sexual assault-related posttraumatic stress and suicidal ideation. These findings indicate that survivors who are more optimistic or grateful are less likely to have posttraumatic stress symptoms progress to severe thoughts of suicide. Exercises boosting optimism and gratitude may be a valuable addition to existing interventions for survivors.

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“…Undergraduate students at a large Midwestern US university were recruited from a psychology subject pool for a study about “life experiences” (Jaffe et al, 2021). The only inclusion criterion was age; individuals were required to be at least 19 years old (the local age of majority).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is the COVID‐19 Pandemic a High‐Risk Period for College Student Alcohol Use? A Comparison of Three Spring Semesters

Jaffe

Kumar

Ramirez

et al. 2021

Alcoholism Clin & Exp Res

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Background: There has been widespread concern that the COVID-19 pandemic may be a high-risk time for alcohol use among heavy drinking populations such as college students. Initial efforts to evaluate changes in college drinking have not yet accounted for typical drinking patterns within a semester.Methods: To fill this gap, we evaluated how college student drinking patterns changed with the onset of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic during spring 2020 relative to spring 2018 and 2019. Participants were 1,365 college students aged 19 and older, including 895 students who reported pastmonth alcohol use. Daily drinking data were extracted from an online Timeline Followback survey.Results: Negative binomial hurdle models revealed that, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, college student drinkers did not increase their drinking frequency as was typical in late spring semester, and the number of drinks per occasion declined substantially (28% reduction), greater than the change observed from early to late spring 2018 (3% reduction) or spring 2019 (8% increase). This reduction in drinking quantity in spring 2020 was larger for college student drinkers who moved residences because of the pandemic (49% reduction) than students who did not move (21% reduction). Perceptions in pandemic-related changes in drinking also revealed that 83.5% of college student drinkers self-reported that their drinking stayed the same or decreased.Conclusions: Findings suggest that, on average, college students drank less-not more-during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the importance of living situation in college student drinking behavior. More research is needed to assess alcohol use in other universities, as this information could be utilized in norms-based interventions to further reduce drinking in students who remain at risk.

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The #MeToo movement and perceptions of sexual assault: College students’ recognition of sexual assault experiences over time.

Cited by 44 publications

References 44 publications

Sexual harassment in secondary school: Prevalence and ambiguities. A mixed methods study in Scottish schools

Sexual harassment in secondary school: Prevalence and ambiguities. A mixed methods study in Scottish schools

Resilience to suicidal ideation among college sexual assault survivors: The protective role of optimism and gratitude in the context of posttraumatic stress.

Is the COVID‐19 Pandemic a High‐Risk Period for College Student Alcohol Use? A Comparison of Three Spring Semesters

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