Understanding Sexual Aggression in UK Male University Students: An Empirical Assessment of Prevalence and Psychological Risk Factors

Hales, Samuel; Gannon, Theresa A.

doi:10.1177/10790632211051682

Cited by 19 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…Each of these expressions was evident within this study, although worryingly, victims' accounts revealed that acts of more overt, extreme violence, and escalations in behaviour occurred more frequently than would be expected. Hales and Gannon (2022) have observed similar trends to our findings, with their research into sexual violence highlighting that students commit acts of sexual violence more frequently than their non-student counterparts. As a guiding lens for theorising targeted hostility, Perry (2001) draws attention to the role of power, whereby offenders attempt to (re)assert relative positions of dominant and subordinate identities.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

To deny or dismantle? Responding to victims of targeted hostility in higher education

Wertans,

Chakraborti

2024

International Review of Victimology

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With the increasing diversification of higher education, the volume of targeted hostility that students are subjected to on the basis of their identities or perceived ‘differences’ has increased. Typically overlooked within conventional studies of hate crime, incidents of targeted victimisation within higher education are likely to mirror, if not exceed levels exhibited within broader society. Nonetheless, with an absence of robust research evidence exploring this phenomenon, institutions’ responses are often varied, ineffective, or absent. Through a mixed-methods approach involving a survey of 565 student respondents and 39 follow-up interviews undertaken at a UK-based university, this article discusses the nature, impact, and support needs of victims of targeted hostility within higher education. The article unpacks the commonalities and distinctions between victimisation encountered within a campus environment as compared with wider society. Drawing from this study’s research evidence, we argue that while the nature of victimisation within universities holds significant parallels to equivalent encounters within wider society, there are specific challenges within higher education, which can amplify the risk, fear, and impacts of targeted hostility. These challenges require responses within higher education, which acknowledge and prioritise evidence-based, victim-led interventions for prevention, reporting, and support.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

To deny or dismantle? Responding to victims of targeted hostility in higher education

Wertans,

Chakraborti

2024

International Review of Victimology

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“…In other words, those who engaged in penetrative RSB were less likely to commit only nonpenetrative sexual assault. Of note, earlier research on university-based sexual offending has supported the role of deviant and risky sexual fantasies as a precursor to sexual offending [79,80]. Consistently, sexual risk-taking behavior was found to be a significant predictor of subsequent sexual offending behavior in more recent studies [34,35,39].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Risky Sexual Behavior, Paraphilic Interest, and Sexual Offending: The Study of a Community Sample of Young Adults in Hong Kong

Chan

Myers

2023

IJERPH

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Limited information is available on the prevalence and nature of sexual offending in Hong Kong. This cross-sectional study seeks to explore the role of risky sexual behavior (RSB) and paraphilic interests in self-reported sexual offending behavior (i.e., nonpenetrative-only, penetrative-only, and nonpenetrative-plus-penetrative sexual assault) in a community sample of young adults in Hong Kong. Using a large sample (N = 1885) of university students, the lifetime prevalence of self-reported sexual offending was 18% (n = 342; 23% males (n = 166), 15% females (n = 176)). Based on the study subsample of 342 participants who self-reported sexual offending (aged 18–35), the findings indicated that males reported significantly higher levels of general, penetrative-only, nonpenetrative-plus-penetrative sexual assault; and paraphilic interest in voyeurism, frotteurism, biastophilia, scatophilia, and hebephilia than females; while females reported a significantly higher level of transvestic fetishism than males. No significant difference was found in RSB between males and females. Logistic regressions found that the participants who possessed a higher level of RSB, particularly penetrative behaviors, and paraphilic interest in voyeurism and zoophilia were less likely to engage in a nonpenetrative-only sexual offense. Conversely, the participants who possessed higher levels of RSB, especially penetrative behaviors, and paraphilic interest in exhibitionism and zoophilia, were more likely to engage in nonpenetrative-plus-penetrative sexual assault. The implications for practice in areas such as public education and offender rehabilitation are discussed.

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“…To deal with this problem and retain all T1 participants in the sample, appropriate procedures for dealing with missing data were employed. Finally, other established risk factors of sexual aggression perpetration were not addressed in the study, such as rape myth acceptance, 61 hostile attitudes toward women, 62,63 or peer acceptance of sexual aggression. 64…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scripts for consensual sex as risk factors for sexual aggression: A three-wave longitudinal study with university students in Germany

Krahé,

Berger

2023

Womens Health (Lond Engl)

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Background: Sexual aggression is a major problem among young adults. Sexual scripts are cognitive schemata representing typical elements of sexual interactions and serve as guidelines for sexual behavior. They may be linked to the risk of sexual aggression if they contain elements known to be associated with the perpetration of sexual aggression, such as alcohol use, sex with casual partners, and ambiguous communication of sexual intentions. Objectives: The study was designed to examine pathways from risky sexual scripts for consensual sex to risky sexual behavior and sexual aggression perpetration in men and women. Design: The study employed a three-wave longitudinal design with 12-month intervals. Participants were 2425 university students in Germany (58% female). Methods: At each wave (Time 1–Time 3), participants completed measures of risky sexual scripts and risky sexual behavior, defined by three aspects: Casual sex, alcohol consumption, and ambiguous communication of sexual intentions. Reports of sexual aggression perpetration were collected since the age of consent (14 years; Time 1) or in the past 12 months (Time 2 and Time 3) using the Sexual Aggression and Victimization Scale. Results: Perpetration rates for men were 9.8% at Time 1, 12.2% at Time 2, and 9.5% at Time 3. For female participants, the corresponding rates were 6.0% at Time 1, 6.3% at Time 2, and 5.1% at Time 3. The gender difference was significant at Time 1 and Time 2, but not at Time 3. As hypothesized, more risky sexual scripts prospectively predicted more risky sexual behavior, which predicted a higher risk of sexual aggression perpetration. The findings held for men and women and for participants with exclusively opposite-sex and with both opposite- and same-sex contacts. Conclusion: Scripts for consensual sex may be risk factors for sexual aggression among men and women if they contain elements identified as risk factors for sexual aggression. The findings suggest that changing risky sexual scripts for consensual sex may be a promising strategy for preventing sexual aggression perpetration.

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Understanding Sexual Aggression in UK Male University Students: An Empirical Assessment of Prevalence and Psychological Risk Factors

Cited by 19 publications

References 81 publications

To deny or dismantle? Responding to victims of targeted hostility in higher education

To deny or dismantle? Responding to victims of targeted hostility in higher education

Risky Sexual Behavior, Paraphilic Interest, and Sexual Offending: The Study of a Community Sample of Young Adults in Hong Kong

Scripts for consensual sex as risk factors for sexual aggression: A three-wave longitudinal study with university students in Germany

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