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There is a plethora of recent examples from the sport industry that situate sport organizations as contributing to sexual violence against women (e.g., Phoenix Suns, Nike). Though research has shown that these issues exist in sport, little work has focused on the impacts of gender-based violence and sexual harassment. Therefore, utilizing gender regimes as our conceptual framework, we explored how experiences of gender-based violence and sexual harassment within sport organizations work to perpetuate the gender inequality in sport workplaces. Findings illustrate the influence of a multilevel relationship to the gender-based violence and sexual harassment experienced by women is impacted by the presence of gender regimes and use of containment strategies to conceal this abuse. Thus, we argue that institutional-level failures to protect women represent organizational success, which reinforces gender regimes and the purposeful containment of these incidents maintains the gender/power hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ambivalent sexism (hostile and benevolent sexism) maintains gender inequalities and has been applied to investigate violence against women (VAW). We conducted a comprehensive three-level meta-analytic review testing ambivalent sexism as predictors of VAW-supportive attitudes and behaviors regarding sexual harassment, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Relevant articles published between 1996 and April 2022 were retrieved from the PsycINFO, Pro Quest Dissertations and Theses, Cochrane Database Reviews, ERIC, and Web of Science online databases. A total of 141 reports (with 912 unique effect sizes) met our inclusion criteria (e.g., assessed Glick and Fiske’s 1996 ASI and at least one self-reported measure of VAW-supportive attitudes or men's VAW perpetration and/or proclivity; VAW was limited to violence against women perpetrated by men). Our review revealed hostile and benevolent sexism, respectively, were associated with greater VAW-supportive attitudes across genders (r = .47, 95% CI [.43–.50]; r = .26, 95% CI [.23–.29]) and to greater VAW behaviors among men (r = .23, 95% CI [.19–.27]; r = .08, 95% CI [.04–.12]). Our review also highlighted participant gender, VAW type, and domain of VAW as important moderators. Notably, benevolent sexism was more strongly tied to VAW-supportive attitudes among women (r = .31, 95% CI [.27–.35]) than men (r = .22, 95% CI [.18–.26]). Overall, the results underscore the importance of addressing hostile and benevolent sexism in future research and interventions on VAW.

ObjectivesDesignResultsConclusionAmerican Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) populations have the highest rate of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Binge drinking is a known predecessor of AUD and is prevalent in college-attending populations. However, little is known about the prevalence and risk factors related to AIAN college student binge drinking. The current study examines prevalence of binge drinking and association with socio-demographic features, other substance use, exposure to discrimination and feelings of belonging within collegiate institutions.Data were collected by the Healthy Minds Study. Present analyses were restricted to 2- and 4-year college attending students in the 2021–2022 academic year who identified as AIAN (n = 1383). We used descriptive, bivariate and multivariate Poisson weighted models to evaluate distributions and associations of binge drinking, age, gender, socioeconomic status, degree program, military experience, substance use, sexual assault, discrimination, and feelings of belonging within the institution.In the prior 2 weeks, 26.3% of AIAN students reported binge drinking. Binge drinking commonly overlapped with other substance use. AIAN students aged 21–34 reported the highest rates of binge drinking, as did students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. AIAN students who identified as trans or queer gender were less likely to report binge drinking, while across gender identities those reporting sexual assault or racial discrimination were more likely to report binge drinking in multivariate analyses.There are multiple factors associated with binge drinking, representing individual and contextual influences on AIAN students. Developing prevention and intervention activities to address overlap in substance use and high concurrence of sexual assault and binge drinking are critical. Additionally, colleges must make concerted efforts to reduce racial discrimination and be more inclusive of AIAN students to reduce institutional-based features that exacerbate risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Police officers play a central role in attaining justice for sexual assault survivors. Disclosing sexual assault is critical to attain justice and foster support, yet survivors often experience negative interactions when disclosing sexual victimization to the police. Police officers' experiences investigating sexual assault have not been explored. Qualitative methods were used to explore the experiences of police officers who respond to reports of sexual assault. Semi-structured interviews with 20 police officers were analyzed in NVIVO software and uncovered four themes, (1) Lack of Sexual Assault Training; (2) Compassion for the Victim; (3) Investigative Process, and (4) Police Distress. The first-hand accounts of police officers uncover opportunities to improve police response to sexual assault and enhance the disclosure experience of survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveMethodResultsConclusionResearch consistently documents disproportionately high rates of sexual assault among bisexual women, one of the fastest growing sexual minority demographic groups in the United States. This study seeks to better understand how bisexual women’s position as both women and sexual minority people may heighten their risk for sexual assault.Using data from 165 bisexual women in the Chicago Health and Life Experience of Women (CHLEW) study, we examine associations between the gender and sexuality characteristics of self-identifying cisgender bisexual women and sexual assault.We found that the risk of experiencing sexual assault, including rape, is associated with past experiences of bi-stigma, earlier age of recognizing bisexual identity, gender discrimination, and a less masculine gender presentation.Our findings suggest that bisexual women are targeted in specific overlapping sexist, bi-phobic and stereotypical ways that may leave them particularly vulnerable to sexual assault. This study highlights the need for more research that investigates how bisexual women’s high rates of sexual assault are shaped by oppressive systems and social forces related to their gender and sexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foregrounding the voices of young women in a deprived coastal context in the UK, this paper explores the intersection of place, class, gender and marginalisation. Drawing upon participatory qualitative research, the paper focuses on the following key themes: (1) how young women navigate perceptions of 'risk' through the everyday realities of the locale, (2) experiences of sexual violence and abuse (3) and finally, how normative depictions of 'risky behaviour' correspond to the accounts of women's (sexual) agency. By rooting the analysis of place-based inequalities through a gendered lens, the findings help illuminate the complex relationship between structural context and the regulation of gender and sexuality. The paper also draws attention to the structural factors that reproduce class-based stigma for people who are deemed 'at risk' in places that are characterised as 'left behind'. In doing so, the paper provides alternative agendas for policy and practice that aim to support young women who experience place-based marginalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on sexual victimization centres on cisgender, heterosexual experiences and pushes LGBTQA+ experiences to the margins. The current study focuses on queer experiences of sexual victimization and subsequent help-seeking behaviours and mental health outcomes. Fifteen in-depth interviews with queer identifying individuals who experienced sexual violence were conducted and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. A total of 32 incidents of sexual violence were discussed across the 15 participants. Findings indicate that negative disclosure responses from others, as well as normalizing and rationalizing experiences of sexual violence, are detrimental to help-seeking behaviour. Incidents that involved sexually minoritized women and heterosexual men were met with more positive disclosure responses than incidents that occurred between two sexually minoritized women. Additionally, lesbians experienced more supportive reactions to disclosure than bisexual and queer women. Mental health professionals who were knowledgeable and experienced in both trauma and LGBTQA+ related issues had the most impact on improved health and well-being for queer survivors of sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alarm has been raised by the mainstream anti-rape movement in the United States at the compounded nature of sexual violence experienced by survivors during the Covid pandemic. While these efforts show renewed attention at the problem of compounded sexual violence, these framings of sexual violence as compounded miss the intersectional oppressions experienced by marginalized survivors, such as survivors of color living through a pandemic. This profile advocates for an intervention, asking anti-rape activist-advocates to turn toward an anti-rape movement that addresses the 'compounded-squared' effects of sexual violence during a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the relationship between publishing practices, precarious labor conditions, and sexual violence in academia. Topics discussed include the structural power dynamics that enable harassment, the impact of commercial academic publishers on labor relations, and the vulnerabilities faced by marginalized scholars in navigating these environments.

Modern journalism practices rely heavily on the use of sources, yet white, male officials have dominated as sources in print, television, and online media. Sources are given the power to shape public opinion by providing their version of facts and defining the framing of events. Symbolic annihilation theory suggests the media largely ignores women or portrays them in stereotypical roles. Symbolic annihilation is particularly important in media representations of sexual misconduct charges where gendered dynamics are critical to framing. This study extends symbolic annihilation by exploring the journalistic sourcing practices post-#MeToo. Through a content analysis of news coverage of sexual assault allegations against US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the study provides a framework by which to explore how women appear in news coverage and influences over journalists' decisions leading to reifying hegemonic sourcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the sexual assault casework samples are of mixed sources. Forensic DNA laboratories are always in the requirement of a precise technique for the efficient separation of sperm and non-sperm DNA from mixed samples. Since the introduction of the differential extraction technique in 1985, it has seen significant advancements in the form of either chemicals used or modification of incubation times. Several automated and semi-automated techniques have also adopted the fundamentals of conventional differential extraction techniques. However, lengthy incubation, several manual steps, and carryover over non-sperm material in sperm fraction are some of the major limitations of this technique. Advanced cell separation techniques have shown huge promise in separating sperm cells from a mixture based on their size, shape, composition, and membrane structure and antigens present on sperm membranes. Such advanced techniques such as DEParray, ADE, FACS, LCM, HOT and their respective pros and cons have been discussed in this article. As current-day forensic techniques should be as per the line of Olympic slogan i.e., faster, higher, stronger, the advanced cell separation techniques show a huge potential to be implemented in the casework samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual violence is a prevalent feature of war with severe physical, psychological, and social consequences for survivors. Yet we have a limited understanding of how survivors relate to their political environment after the conflict ends. We analyze individual-level survey data on postwar Sri Lanka to assess whether wartime sexual victimization relates to political activism. Connecting unobtrusive measures from a list experiment to individual survivors' political action, we show that personal experience of sexual violence increases political participation. This effect is substantial in size, holds for institutionalized and non-institutionalized forms of political action, and is robust to unobserved confounding or sample selection bias. Causal mediation analyses suggest that survivors of wartime sexual violence mobilize politically through their involvement in civic networks. The findings stress the relevance of survivors' agency and contribute to a better understanding of wartime sexual violence, the role of civil society in post-conflict politics, and of humanitarian policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, social campaigns and high-profile cases have brought increased attention to violence against women. Athletes can be role models, shaping both prosocial and antisocial attitudes. Their engagement in violence prevention could be an effective tool to tackle violence against women through bystander intervention. This part of a mixed-method feasibility study reports on the quantitative evaluation of an evidence-led bystander program, Football Onside, implemented at a football club in South West England in June 2018 to February 2020. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with intervention and control groups. Football coaches and club members (n = 50) completed measures of rape and domestic abuse myths, bystander intent and efficacy, self-reported bystander behaviors, readiness for change, perceptions of peer helping and myth acceptance, law knowledge, and program evaluation. Fidelity was also assessed. The analysis compared between- and within-group differences in mean changes over time using mixed-effects models. Participant ratings of learning outcomes were high, and fidelity was maintained throughout the intervention. Between-group comparison revealed mixed results, with greater improvements in the intervention group for bystander intent and efficacy at post-test and follow-up, domestic abuse myths at post-test, and rape myth acceptance at follow-up. Model contrasts for within intervention group revealed improvements in rape and domestic abuse myth acceptance, bystander intent and efficacy, perceived law knowledge at both time points, and perceived peer myths and helping at post-test. At follow-up, intervention participants reported significantly higher engagement in bystander behaviors. No significant effects were found for perceived importance of legal knowledge. Our research highlights the potential efficacy of a bystander program tailored for football club members. Cluster-randomized control trials are now required to examine bystander attitudes and behavior change processes among professional athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Involuntary celibates, or incels, are part of a growing online subculture. Incels are men who are unable to engage in a sexual relationship with a woman and who experience significant distress and anger as a result. In recent years, high-profile incidents of violence perpetrated by incels or those who share incel ideology have increased research attention. Incels communicate online and share several characteristics with other online extremist groups. While only a fraction of incels engage in such violence, a broader spectrum of violence should be considered, including online harassment or general violence against women. This study sought to examine how ongoing engagement on an online incel forum affects changes in incel comments in terms of expressed anger and sadness and use of incel violent extremist language. We collected comments made on an incel forum over a 3-month period. We then identified prolific users and included their comments in our analysis. To assess how their language changed, we used a text-processing program (LIWC: Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) to assess the extent to which anger, sadness, and incel violent extremist language were expressed in the comments. Our findings indicated that incels express more anger in their comments than users on other platforms such as Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter. However, they did not express greater sadness. Further, we found that incels are already quite angry and sad when they join the forum, and they already use a fair amount of incel vocabulary. Initially, these aspects of their language increase, but they flatten over time. This pattern suggests that introduction to and embracing of incel ideology occurs elsewhere on the Internet, and prior to people joining an incel forum. Implications in terms of prevention of online radicalization and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) are community-based, multidisciplinary interventions that strive to coordinate the response to sexual assault. SARTs consist of sexual assault responders (e.g., rape crisis advocates, police, forensic examiners/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, and prosecutors) and seek to increase responder collaboration to improve survivors' help-seeking experiences. There is a lack of empirical research examining factors underlying SARTs' goals and what leads communities to form SARTs. Therefore, this study sought to examine the goals and motivations present in SART development using a multiple-methods approach with a national random sample of n = 172 SARTs. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine factors underlying SART goals, and qualitative thematic analysis was used to explore what motivators drove SART formation. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses underscored the importance of improving the accessibility and quality of services, improving the treatment of survivors, and increasing responder collaboration. The qualitative findings offered additional insight into the importance of community education and various community contextual factors (e.g., funding and policy requirements) that influence SARTs. Findings inform future research and practice on SART goals and functioning, such as how SART goals may relate to team structure, effectiveness, and capacity-building opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual assault rates are increasing with ride-shares. Sexual violence data are often underestimated due to sexual violence cases going unreported and can lead to negative health outcomes. There is no research on the phenomenon of sexual assaults among ride-share users. This manuscript investigates sexual assaults from two ride-share companies and the policies/procedures in place to prevent sexual assaults. The data from two ride-share companies' previous Safety Reports were compared to see an increase in sexual assaults. The researchers looked at policies and regulations that ride-share companies have to prevent sexual assault. There is a call for research to investigate more in-depth the sexual assaults that have occurred including demographic data, geographic location, global positioning system failure, and the effectiveness of the criminal background checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Me Too Movement has reshaped cultural awareness about sexual violence but little is known about how this shift may have coincided with changes in the reporting of sexual violence. The current study is the first to use the National Crime Victimization Survey to compare pre-#MeToo and post-#MeToo reports of sexual violence across three different blocks of time (Time 1: 2014–2015; Time 2: October 2017–September 2019; Time 3: October 2019–September 2021). Comparisons include prevalence rates of overall sexual violence, self-reports of sexual violence, official police reports of sexual violence, and situational characteristics of sexual violence (offender was a stranger, victim injury, victim services used). We also examine gender (women/men) and racial (White women/non-White women) differences in sexual violence reporting. Using formal comparisons, we find a significant increase in the rates of overall sexual violence as well as self-reports and stranger-offender reports of sexual violence between the pre- (Time 1) and the first post-#MeToo time point (Time 2). However, these increases are no longer evident in Time 3. In addition, the changes between the pre- (Time 1) and the first post-#MeToo time point (Time 2) are driven primarily by White women's reporting of sexual violence, and we find no significant changes in the rates of sexual violence experienced by men nor non-White women during these time periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) are now part of the criminal justice landscape in various parts of the world. While CoSA have received considerable media attention, it is not yet known how they are portrayed in the media. This study addressed this gap by analyzing newspaper coverage of CoSA from across the English-speaking world. Overall, it identified that representations of those convicted of sexual violence in print media accounts of CoSA differ substantially from those identified in previous scholarship. We argue therefore that the nature of CoSA as an intervention may allow for more sympathetic and humanistic representation. The findings provide a platform from which the international CoSA community can develop strategic approaches to interacting with the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are highly vulnerable to discrimination and violence, which impact physical and mental health. The study examines past-month discrimination and violence against PEH in Los Angeles County (LAC). A total of 332 PEH in LAC were surveyed about their past-month experiences with discrimination, physical violence, and sexual violence from April–July 2023. Analyses were conducted in 2023. 31.8% of respondents reported experiencing discrimination daily and 53.9% reported it weekly, whereas rates of lifetime discrimination in studies of general populations of minoritized groups range between 13-60%. Nearly half of respondents who reported experiencing discrimination (49.6%) believed that their housing situation was the reason they were targeted. Victimization was also common, with 16.0% of participants experiencing physical violence and 7.5% experiencing sexual violence in the past 30 days. These rates of past- month victimization are high when compared to past- year physical violence (3.0%) and sexual violence (0.24%) among general populations in major U.S. cities. In multivariate regression analyses, discrimination was associated with being unsheltered in a vehicle (p <0.05) or outdoors (p <0.001), weekly illicit drug use (p <0.01), and psychological distress (p <0.001); violent victimization was associated with being sheltered (p <0.05) or unsheltered outdoors (p <0.001), physical health conditions (p <0.05), and psychological distress (p <0.01); and sexual victimization was associated with non-male gender (p <0.05) and being unsheltered outdoors (p <0.05). Discrimination and victimization outcomes were not associated with any race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or time homeless characteristics. Study findings highlight the dangers of homelessness in the U.S., particularly for those who are unsheltered outdoors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) was applied following recent sexual assault (SA). • The present case series successfully applies SPR to serve five recent SA survivors. • Survivors showed reductions in some mental health symptoms at follow up. • Future research should formally assess SPR following recent SA. Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) is an evidence-informed, early intervention for teaching survivors coping skills in the aftermath of recent disasters. Although SPR has not been tested following recent sexual assault, there is theoretical support for applying SPR to the needs of recent sexual assault survivors. The current study is the first to describe the application of SPR among survivors of recent sexual assault. SPR was administered by two master-level clinicians over the telephone to five people who experienced a sexual assault in the last month. Clients completed up to five SPR sessions. Mean scores of measures of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD; PTSD Primary Care Screen), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire–2), and alcohol misuse (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Concise) were calculated pre- and post-intervention. Clients reported a reduction in PTSD symptoms (pre-intervention mean = 4.4; post-intervention mean = 2.8), depression (pre-intervention mean = 3.6; post-intervention mean = 2.2), and alcohol misuse (pre-intervention mean = 4.5; post-intervention mean = 3.2) at post-intervention. Results are presented using a case series approach. Findings suggest that SPR may be an effective strategy for reducing early trauma-related symptoms among recent survivors of sexual assault. Future investigations should explore the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of delivering SPR with larger, multiculturally diverse samples of recent sexual assault survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research evaluates whether third-party presence is associated with rape and sexual assault (RSA) victims help-seeking and reporting to police, addressing a gap in the literature about how the presence of a third-party is associated with victim behavior. This research uses secondary data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Findings indicate that third-party presence has no statistically significant association with help-seeking and marginal significance with police reporting. This research focuses on third-party presence as a precursor to understanding victim help-seeking behaviors and reports to police. This research raises questions about the expected role of third parties in RSA victimizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Norwegian legislation, "sexual activity with a person who is unconscious or for other reasons incapable of resisting the act" constitutes sexual assault. Our task in this article is to identify the kind of sexual harms that are (un)protected by this paragraph and to discuss the boundaries of rape that are set by legal practice. We do so through a systematic analysis of all verdicts on incapacity and sexual assault at appellate court levels through 2019 and 2020. The analysis strengthens our concern for victims' right to equality before the law and for the quality of courts' legal veridiction and interpretation of both law and sexual assault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale Sport is increasingly seen as a vehicle through which to address and prevent the high prevalence of violence against women, yet it is also a site for interpersonal gender-based violence. This paper scopes recent empirical research to examine the focus of research into interpersonal gender-based violence against adult women in sport and what sports organisations are doing to respond and prevent such violence. The paper then sets out potential areas for future sport management research. Design Following Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, we conducted a comprehensive search of published literature since 2000 across 14 databases. Findings: We identified 15 papers. Findings are presented as a numerical summary and thematic analysis. The numerical summary reveals a lack of studies examining sport organisations' responses to interpersonal gender-based violence against adult women participating in sport. The thematic analysis shows dominance of sexual violence often within the coach–athlete relationship, a focus on prevalence, and lack of theoretical underpinning. Practical implications: If sport is to continue being used as a vehicle to prevent violence against women in society more broadly, future research must address all forms of interpersonal gender-based violence against women that may be occurring in sport and examine how sport organisations are addressing such violence. Research contribution: This paper shows a significant gap in research on adult women experiencing interpersonal gender-based violence in sport, and responses to such violence. It provides a foundation from which to drive future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of social networks, there has been a marked increase in offensive content targeting women, ranging from overt acts of hatred to subtler, often overlooked forms of sexism. The EXIST (sEXism Identification in Social neTworks) competition, initiated in 2021, aimed to advance research in automatically identifying these forms of online sexism. However, the results revealed the multifaceted nature of sexism and emphasized the need for robust systems to detect and classify such content. In this study, we provide an extensive analysis of sexism, highlighting the characteristics and diverse manifestations of sexism across multiple languages on social networks. To achieve this objective, we conducted a detailed analysis of the EXIST dataset to evaluate its capacity to represent various types of sexism. Moreover, we analyzed the systems submitted to the EXIST competition to identify the most effective methodologies and resources for the automated detection of sexism. We employed statistical methods to discern textual patterns related to different categories of sexism, such as stereotyping, misogyny, and sexual violence. Additionally, we investigated linguistic variations in categories of sexism across different languages and platforms. Our results suggest that the EXIST dataset covers a broad spectrum of sexist expressions, from the explicit to the subtle. We observe significant differences in the portrayal of sexism across languages; English texts predominantly feature sexual connotations, whereas Spanish texts tend to reflect neosexism. Across both languages, objectification and misogyny prove to be the most challenging to detect, which is attributable to the varied vocabulary associated with these forms of sexism. Additionally, we demonstrate that models trained on platforms like Twitter can effectively identify sexist content on less-regulated platforms such as Gab. Building on these insights, we introduce a transformer-based system with data augmentation techniques that outperforms competition benchmarks. Our work contributes to the field by enhancing the understanding of online sexism and advancing the technological capabilities for its detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Five distinct forms of violence - Physical, Verbal, Sexual, Cyber, and Relational - persistently afflict sexual minorities worldwide. The presence of feminine attributes in Men who have Sex with Men is inherently linked to a heightened susceptibility to various manifestations of violence, thereby exerting detrimental repercussions on both the physical and mental well-being of these individuals. This correlation stands as a principal contributor to the alarmingly elevated rates of suicide attempts among Men who have Sex with Men, particularly during their early years. Data and Methods: This cross-sectional study investigates the risk factors for violence against Men who have Sex with Men in six metropolitan cities across India. Quantitative data were gathered from 300 self-identified Men who have Sex with Men, with 240 providing only quantitative data, while both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a subset of 60 respondents, ranging in age from 18 to 70 years. Quantitative analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression to explore the likelihood of different types of violence. Qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, were analyzed thematically to provide contextual depth and validate the quantitative findings, focusing on specific incidents and key themes associated with violence among Men who have Sex with Men. Results: More than 60 per cent of the respondents encountered at least one type of violence due to their sexuality. More than half of the respondents who engaged in the receptive role during sexual activity reported experiencing sexual violence. The likelihood of encountering verbal violence was found to be nearly six times higher among respondents who were receptive than penetrative sexual partners. Respondents of Muslim religion exhibited a 2.6-fold increase in the likelihood of experiencing sexual violence compared to their Hindu counterparts. Conclusion: Violence against Men who have Sex with Men is a pervasive issue in the six metropolitan cities studied in India, particularly affecting individuals with lower education and low income. These findings resonate with global research, which identifies similar risk factors for violence against sexual minorities, especially in regions with deep-rooted homophobia and socio-economic inequalities. Insights from this study underscore the urgent need for targeted policies and interventions to create a safer, more inclusive environment for this population in India and other parts of the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing has a protective impact on recidivism risk, including for those who offend sexually (Ambroziak, G., Kahn, R. E., Mundt, J. C., Keiser, K. L., & Thornton, D. (2020). Are civilly detained and committed sexually violent persons released after age 60 low risk? Criminal Justice and Behavior, 48(7), 981–998; Doren, D. M. (2006). What do we know about the effect of aging on recidivism risk for sexual offenders? Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 18; Harris, G. T., & Rice, M. E. (2007). Adjusting actuarial violence risk assessments based on aging or the passage of time. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(3), 297–313). Recent research of the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP) suggests increased age may affect the validity of this guideline, with good predictive performance in samples of men mostly aged under 50 (Davis, M. R., Woods, M., Raymond, B., Ogloff, J. R. P., & McEwan, T. E. (in submission). Does it work? Convergent and predictive validity of the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP) in an Australian Community Forensic Mental Health Setting. Manuscript submitted for publication; Vargen, L. M., Jackson, K. J., & Hart, S. D. (2020). Interrater reliability, concurrent validity, and predictive validity of the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol. Law and Human Behavior, 44(1), 37–50), but poor predictive performance in a sample aged over 50 (Raymond, B. C., Davis, M. R., Ogloff, J. R. P., & McEwan, T. E. (in submission). Convergent and predictive validity of the sexual violence risk-20 and risk for sexual violence protocol with older sexual offenders. Manuscript submitted for publication). This study investigated possible reasons for these contrasting results by investigating age-related differences in risk factor endorsement and the relationships between risk factors. RSVP risk factors in two samples of men with prior sexual offending, older adults aged between 50 and 78 (n = 95) and adults aged between 18 and 46 (n = 139). Few differences were identified in risk factor endorsement or the relationship between risk factors. The younger adult sample were observed to have more risk factors present.PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENTThis research adds to the literature regarding older men who offend sexually. It is anticipated that further research into factors that are associated with this age group, may encourage future research of gerontological literature in a forensic arena. Until more reliable evidence is available, the current risk assessment tools may require a level of caution when used with older men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although literature suggests that sexual assault narratives in media may encourage others to disclose their own sexual assault stories, research has yet to theorize the relationship between viewing mediated sexual assault narratives and disclosing sexual assaults. In response, I propose a theoretical model of the influence of mediated sexual assault narratives on sexual assault disclosure efficacy for adolescent girls and women. I also identify three mechanisms—survivor identity appeals, identification with the vlogger, and self-efficacy appeals—that may enhance the persuasiveness of mediated sexual assault narratives and work within the proposed model. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the harrowing use of sexual violence as a tool in the ethnic cleansing of Germans in post‐World War II Czechoslovakia. By examining the grim realities of internment camps, prisons, and border regions, it reveals a disturbing pattern of abuse aimed primarily at German women by Czech men. This violence was not isolated but integral to the broader project of national cleansing, laying bare the patriarchal foundations of Czechoslovak society. State policies, including the differential treatment of mixed marriages, reinforced a male‐dominated ethos. By stripping Germans of their citizenship and legal protections, Czech authorities fostered a climate of impunity, allowing a wave of sexual violence to persist through the ‘German transfers’. The article sheds light on this dark chapter, exposing how rape was used to reaffirm Czech men's dominance in the nation's postwar rebirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of sexual assault (SA) among college students (13%) is unacceptable, underreported, and alcohol use by the perpetrator or victim is reported in 50% of SA cases. Bystander intervention (BI) programs, which use prosocial behaviors to prevent or stop a harmful situation from occurring, have been implemented across college campuses to reduce SA. There are several known barriers (e.g. self-intoxication) and facilitators (e.g. peer support) to BI for SA; however, less is known about barriers and facilitators to BI for alcohol-related SA. Alcohol-related SA includes situations in which the perpetrator and/or victim are intoxicated, whereas alcohol-facilitated SA includes situations in which individuals intentionally use alcohol as a perpetration strategy. The current study examined student perspectives of BI for SA opportunities, actions taken in response to opportunities, and barriers and facilitators to action. The team conducted content and deductive thematic analysis of data from focus groups and interviews with diverse undergraduate students (N = 79). Opportunities included perpetrator-focused, victim-focused, and sexual risk opportunities. Actions taken included staying vigilant, monitoring friends, communicating with friends, and removing friends. Barriers included self-intoxication, feeling helpless, peer pressure, not feeling personally responsible, and fearing the consequences of helping. Finally, facilitators included knowing friends’ concerning signals and drinking motives, feeling like some intervention strategies are easy, understanding sex-related risks, acknowledging consent and personal boundaries, and feeling personally responsible for friends. Understanding these situations’ nuances can help to inform more effective and comprehensive BI programs to reduce SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survivors of adult sexual assault and child sexual abuse – together encompassing sexual violence (SV) – experience a number of adverse consequences. High rates of self-blame can lead to increased symptomatology and treatment resistance. There has been a paucity of studies of men who have experienced SV, particularly about self-blame. For this study, 179 cisgender male survivors of SV completed an online survey to explore the relationships among 10 variables, including trauma-related self-blame, rape myth acceptance, tonic immobility, disclosure experiences, sexual arousal, and substance use. Multiple regression analyses and t-tests were used to test the study hypotheses. Results indicate that 93% of the sample reported some level of self-blame. However, only rape myth acceptance was strongly associated with self-blame. Additionally, participants who used substances within 12 hours prior to their SV had higher rates of self-blame, as did participants who had not previously disclosed their abuse. Exploratory analyses also found a significant difference in self-blame between those who experienced SV in childhood and adulthood versus those who only experienced SV in either childhood or adulthood. The findings of this research highlight the high rates of self-blame and how imperative it is to provide psychoeducation about the variables discussed in this study and to normalize these experiences, especially for less well-known phenomena such as physiological sexual arousal and TI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisexual (i.e. those with attraction to multiple genders) women experience disparities in sexual violence and mental health outcomes, including PTSD, depression, and hazardous drinking, compared to lesbian and heterosexual women. Unique stigma due to bisexual identity (antibisexual stigma), negative reactions to sexual violence (SV) disclosure (e.g. victim blaming), and prior child sexual abuse (CSA) may all contribute to shame. We tested whether shame explained the associations of antibisexual stigma, negative reactions to SV disclosure, and CSA severity with PTSD symptoms, depression, and hazardous drinking among young bisexual women. Participants who self-identified as bisexual women, between the ages of 18–35, residing in the US were recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and completed online questionnaires. Women who reported SV since age 18 that they disclosed to someone were included in the current study, yielding a sample of 156 bisexual women (Mage = 25.7; 98.1% cisgender, 86.5% White). Path analysis with bias-corrected bootstrapping was conducted. There were significant direct effects of negative reactions on hazardous drinking and CSA on PTSD, and direct effects of shame on PTSD and depression symptoms. Shame explained the associations of antibisexual stigma, negative reactions, and CSA with PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, and hazardous drinking. Shame may explain why stigmatizing experiences related to bisexual identity, sexual violence, and CSA history relate to distress among bisexual women. Shame is an important treatment target among bisexual survivors of SV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) is a ubiquitous societal problem with negative health consequences. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric (CAP) patients are burdened with more violence exposure than other groups, but more work is needed to chart their exposure to TFSV specifically and to understand how it relates to their mental health. In this study, we aimed to investigate the occurrence of unwanted online sexual solicitation (UOSS) in a young Swedish psychiatric sample. We also aimed to measure the associations between psychiatric symptoms and exposure to UOSS, offline sexual harassment, cyberbullying, and offline bullying. We also aimed to analyze possible differences between boys and girls. Our results show a high occurrence of UOSS (48.61%), which is higher than in the general population. UOSS was significantly higher among girls (57.31%) than boys (20.59%), but boys in the CAP group were burdened with more UOSS victimization than boys in general. Co-occurrence of UOSS with other types of offline and online harassment was substantial. UOSS, together with age and offline sexual harassment, predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms among both girls and boys. UOSS also showed a significant interaction effect with gender, suggesting that boys exposed to UOSS suffer higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms than girls exposed to UOSS. Preventing and treating mental health difficulties needs to consider contextual circumstances such as exposure to sexual violence online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A common sentiment among anti‐sex‐robot scholars is the apprehension that sex robots will normalize and perpetuate sexual violence towards humans. In this new chapter within the feminist sex war, the authors of this article tend to agree with anti‐sex‐robot concerns and seek to further identify potential harms of sex robots. However, instead of characterizing the harm in terms of what the robots represent and symbolize, we are primarily interested in the internal state of the user and the type of relationship that will emerge between human users and sex robots, which we argue is an unprecedented sexual relation. Unlike other comparable sex products and services, sex robots occupy a liminal space between being perceived as both a sexual property and agent, oscillating based on the preferences and convenience of the user. We argue that this oscillation that enables human–sex robot intimacy requires self‐deception, which in turn entails individual moral responsibility. Thus, we articulate a novel virtue‐based approach of examining human–robot intimacy that focuses on cultivating erotic flourishing. We conclude that people have a moral responsibility to exhibit self‐awareness within the dynamics of their intimate relationship with sex robots and the (contradictory) beliefs required to maintain such intimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to characterize and conceptually organize multilevel factors associated with the sexual victimization experiences of trans women and trans feminine people to advance violence prevention interventions for health-equity. Between October 2020 and July 2021, we conducted in-depth interviews with 17 expert informants in New York City, which we transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Qualitative insights were derived through an intensive, team-based iterative coding strategy resulting in the development of an exhaustive set of consensus codes which were organized and interpreted in a multi-level structure. Findings revealed a complex constellation of intersecting macro- and micro-structural mechanisms reinforcing sexual violence. Unique characteristics of this violence were characterized hierarchically in terms of: 1) violence forms (e.g. murder, fetishization), 2) perpetrators (e. g. safety-staff; group assault), 3) contexts (e.g. public accommodations), 4) functions (e.g. gender policing), 5) ideological reinforcers (e.g. transphobia, racism), and 6) structural reinforcers (e.g. legislation; linking access to material means of survival to poverty/illness). Results indicate that acute incidents of sexual victimization are “the tip of the iceberg” of the violence impacting trans communities. The community experts we interviewed (e.g. trans women, violence prevention practitioners, social workers) understand chronic functional, ideological, and structural oppression as inextricable from sexual violence. Multi-level determinants of violence therefore constitute essential targets of sexual violence prevention intervention for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to sexual violence is associated with deleterious mental health consequences, and survivors' perceptions of self-blame can exacerbate these difficulties. Characterological self-blame (CSB) has been associated with negative outcomes (e.g., PTSD, depression, & anxiety). However, the underlying mechanisms that account for CSB's negative impacts have not been explored despite the stigmatizing and blaming nature surrounding sexual violence. In the present study, we examined whether trauma-related shame would explain CSB's association with depression and anxiety symptom severity. A sample of 197 women who reported prior exposure to sexual assault completed measures of self-blame, trauma-related shame, and depression and anxiety symptoms. A significant association was found between CSB and depression, r(197) =.380, p <.01, and anxiety, r(197) =.256, p <.01. Trauma-related shame significantly mediated the relationship between CSB and depression (B =.07, SE =.02, 95% CI [.03,.12]), and mediated between CSB and anxiety (B =.05, SE =.02, 95% CI [.01,.09]). Trauma-related shame may be a useful treatment target for survivors of sexual assault experiencing maladaptive blame and psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, the Bureau of Justice Assistance Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) began mandating SAKI funding awardees submit eligible cases to the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP), a database which allows for the identification and analysis of serial violent crimes. Limited research has examined the use of ViCAP by SAKI sites or SAKI site personnels’ perceptions of ViCAP. To address this gap, we conducted a survey of SAKI sites (N = 24) to identify trends regarding ViCAP personnel and training, ViCAP case entry and eligibility processes, and barriers/opportunities to increase the use of ViCAP. Findings show most sites are entering cases into ViCAP, but the utility of ViCAP as an investigatory tool is hindered by structural barriers in hiring/retention and training which prevent SAKI sites from fully leveraging ViCAP’s resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay uses a microhistory of Chinese comfort women during the Asia-Pacific War to illuminate the gendered dynamics of violence and the contrasting emotions experienced by both sexually abused women and their Japanese perpetrators, forming a perpetrator-victim dyad. The essay employs the concept of intersectional emotions within a micro-historical framework to demonstrate that this violence against Chinese women, marked by racialization, constitutes one of the many facets of wartime violence. This violence manifests in two contrasting emotional responses that characterize the dyadic interactions against the backdrop of widespread violence during the Asia-Pacific War. This analysis is highly relevant in contexts of power-saturated sites defined by multi-layered violence that is racial, gendered, and imperial. By investigating the dichotomy of emotive dimensions of violence, this essay contributes to a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay among emotions, violence, gender, race, and imperialism. This examination reveals insights into the emotional framework governing the dynamics of violence and challenges the prevailing assumption of uniformity in studies of violence against victim-survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Conclusion Sexual assault is pervasive in today's society, with the numbers of those reporting it increasing. In Ireland, 50% of women will experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. We sought to describe the incident details of females presenting to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) network in the Republic of Ireland and to determine associations between incident characteristics and: (1) victim age, (2) presence of injury, (3) victim‐perpetrator relationship, and (4) number of assailants.This was a retrospective cross‐sectional study of all females who attended between 2017 and 2023. Descriptive bivariate analysis was performed.There were 5942 female attendances, with an average age of 26 years. The largest age group was women between 18 and 25 years (38.1%, n = 2263). Forensic examinations were performed in 76.6% (n = 4549). Assailants were male in 92% (n = 5469) of incidents, with multiple assailants disclosed in 7.3% (n = 435). Strangers or recent acquaintances were the assailant in 38.5% (n = 2290) of incidents, and close associates in 22.9% (n = 1359). Incidents occurred at the survivor's home in 22% (n = 1306) of incidents, and in the assailant's home in 22.6% (n = 1342). Drug use within 24 h was reported in 15.1% (n = 897) of cases, and alcohol use in 72% (n = 4276). Drug‐facilitated assault was suspected by 16.1% (n = 955). Injuries (genital and extra‐genital) occurred in 30.3% (n = 1800) of attendances and were more likely to be seen in those who disclosed ingesting alcohol (Relative risk [RR] 1.325, P < 0.001) or drugs (RR 1.111, P = 0.04) in the 24 h preceding the incident, in those who presented within 24 h (RR 1.646, P < 0.001), those aged 18 years or older (RR 1.07, P = 0.003), and those where the incident occurred outdoors (RR 1.24, P < 0.001).This study, one of the largest on female attendances to a national SATU network, offers detailed insights into demographics, incident details, and circumstances. Most were young women, mainly 18 years and older, many of whom were full‐time students. Forensic examinations were the primary reason for attendance, underscoring the network's key role in evidence collection. The study also identified factors linked to a higher risk of injury detection, such as immediate post‐incident attendance, being over 18, outdoor incidents, perpetration by a stranger, and prior alcohol or drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the investigation of sexual assault cases, a standard practice involves examining female genitalia to identify injuries. The majority of research was done to examine findings in the child age group, but very little research was done on the adult age group. There is a need for guidelines to follow for the interpretation of adult female findings as they hold the same significance as in children. The Dammam Forensic Medicine Center conducted a retrospective chart review study in the period from 2014 to 2021 to examine adult female genital findings utilizing photographic documentation. Results: One hundred sixty-three cases involving adults between the ages of 18 and 52 were examined. Cases were divided into two groups to focus on hymenal findings that fell in the class of no expert consensus. The first group included self-defined virgins, who denied having ever experienced vaginal penetration in their entire lives, including the reported incidence, which represented 38 cases. The rest of the cases had at least a single incident of vaginal penetration. The normal genitourinary findings were found comparable to those in the child age group. All of the participants who showed notches or clefts, below the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock location, which extends nearly to the base of the hymen, but is not a complete transection belonged to the group with a history of vaginal penetration. The three participants who showed a notch or a cleft in the hymen rim at 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock which extends nearly to the base of the hymen, but is not a complete transection belonged to the same group. Conclusions: Findings that lack expert consensus in the child age group are likely the result of injury in the study participants. This result gives valuable information on genital findings in self-identified virgin adult females, which can be utilized in conjunction with other studies to establish standards for the assessment of cases of alleged sexual assault in adult females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents' sexual consent behaviors are critical for developing healthy sexual relationships and preventing experiences of sexual violence. This report uses 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data to describe prevalence of asking for sexual consent verbally at last sexual contact among U.S. high school students. Differences in prevalence of asking for sexual consent verbally by sex, age, race and ethnicity, sexual identity, sex of sexual contacts, and gender identity were examined. Differences in asking for sexual consent verbally also were examined by experiences of sexual violence and sexual behaviors. Sex-stratified logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between asking for sexual consent verbally with experiences of sexual violence and sexual behaviors. In addition, data were analyzed using adjusted logistic regression models controlling for age, race and ethnicity, and sexual identity. Among high school students who reported ever having sexual contact, 79.8% reported asking for sexual consent verbally at last sexual contact. A lower percentage of female students (74.5%) reported asking for sexual consent verbally than male students (84.6%). In adjusted sex-stratified analyses, female students who asked for sexual consent verbally had higher prevalence of ever having had sexual intercourse. Male students who asked for sexual consent verbally had higher prevalence of ever having had sexual intercourse and being currently sexually active. Female and male students who asked for sexual consent verbally had higher prevalence of having first sexual intercourse before age 13 and using condoms. In addition, female students who asked for sexual consent verbally during last sexual intercourse had lower prevalence of using alcohol or drugs at last sexual intercourse. Public health researchers and practitioners, health care providers, schools, and youth-serving organizations can use these findings to better understand high school students' verbal sexual consent, improve complex measurement of consent-seeking behaviors, and guide multicomponent sexual health and violence prevention efforts across various settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contends that sexual violence lies at the heart of Proust's The Fugitive. Most strikingly, Albertine's secret is not merely that she is a lesbian: she is rumoured to be guilty of consorting with Morel to groom and abuse impoverished and vulnerable young girls. Critics have – until now – ended to avert their eyes from this dark episode. Proustian sexuality, Rose demonstrates, thus consorts closely with crime, in ways that can only sometimes be sublimated or transfigured into art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high psychological burden of rape, together with complications such as pregnancy and chronic conditions, is associated with an increase in mental disorders. Social cognitive theory (SCT) is an important health theory that views behavior as dynamic and influenced by environmental, behavioral and individual factors. The aim of the present research is to determine the effect of an educational intervention on post-traumatic stress disorder and social cognitive theory constructs in women who have experienced sexual assault. Methods/design: This study is randomized, double-blind clinical trial research that will be conducted on 40 women with experience of sexual. In this research, by the intervention program based on social cognitive theory include" awareness, self-efficacy, outcome expectations and environment. Written consent will be obtained from the participants to participate in the research. Participants in the intervention group will be taught about health, hygiene, psychology and stress reduction methods in group or individual sessions according to their preference in 6 sessions of 60 min each, one session per week. A post-test will be conducted for both groups. Discussion: This study provides comprehensive data on the effect of providing an educational intervention using the social cognition Theory. Social cognitive theory focuses on how patterns of behavior are learned and how they function in interaction between the individual and the environment. It seems that the use of this theory in designing the content of educational interventions can be useful and practical. Trial registration: The trial is prospectively recorded at the IRCT registry (Trial ID: IRCT20230926059526N1. Date recorded: 18/10/2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic examiners often provide reports for individuals seeking redress in courts or tribunals after experiencing sexualized violence. How sexualized violence is described shapes how both examiner and readers perceive the nature, severity, and impact of what occurred. An examiner’s description may, however, be influenced by unconscious bias due to (a) the behavioral similarity between sexualized violence and consenting sexual relations and (b) false societal beliefs about gender, sexuality, and rape. Such influences may shape perceptions of whether the victim was consenting or coerced, whether the perpetrator’s behavior was transgressive, violent, or premeditated, and the extent to which the victim was harmed. To reduce possible bias, we recommend that examiners routinely (a) use the words “sexualized violence” and “sexual relations” accurately, (b) report adequately complete factual information relating to the plaintiff/defendant relationship, (c) report an adequately complete and factual account of the behaviors, thoughts, and feelings of plaintiff and defendant, and (d) communicate findings and opinion using neutral, behavioral, and direct language. These recommendations should be implemented in the context of current knowledge relevant to forensic assessment of sexualized violence, including trauma-informed practices. These steps will help to ensure that forensic descriptions of sexualized violence are adequately complete, neutral, and fair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological fluid stains can be instrumental in solving crimes. Identification of semen can help reconstruct events in sexual assault cases and identify suspects via DNA profiling. Current methods for semen identification suffer from limitations, including destruction of the sample and potential false positives. One of the main unsolved issues is the elimination of underlying substrate interference. In this paper, chemometric approaches were developed to isolate and identify a biofluid stain on interfering substrates using Raman spectroscopy. The first approach, called Multivariate Curve Resolution with the Addition Method, combines the standard addition method with multivariate curve resolution. The second one uses a criterion based on reducing the spectrum complexity when a spectral component is removed from a Raman spectrum of a multi-component sample entirely. The results demonstrate the superiority of the first approach relative to the second for both small volume fraction of the fluid stain compared to the substrate and random noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article collects the preliminary results of the SEXLAVES project focused on the archaeological study of the materialities generated by the sexual exploitation of women in the northwest of Spain. Using landscape archaeology and the archaeology of architecture, we study ruined brothels that were in use between the 1980s and the 2000s. These archaeological remains show in all their crudeness the impunity of a mafia and criminal business that it is based on the kidnapping, coercion and control of women. This archaeology of the recent past makes public spaces originally intended to be made invisible, searches for the material trace of women who are truly socially disappeared, and denounces a model of capitalist predation that exploits bodies, landscapes and territories in the same way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of forensic evidence is perceived to be a panacea in sexual assault investigations and criminal prosecutions. However, research has shown an alarmingly different reality, whereby forensic evidence is rarely available, collected, tested, or available during criminal investigations and court procedures. Regardless, many states have begun implementing new policies to improve the collection and preservation of forensic evidence. This study explores the state of forensic evidence policies and legislation throughout the United States of America as they relate to sexual assaults through a content analysis of the nation’s state statutes. Following the 2016 legislative session statutes were found to be organized into two themes: 1) survivor-related statutes and 2) offender-related statutes. Though innovative forensic evidence policies were observed, much of this legislation appeared to be inconsistent with the reality of sexual assault and is best described as vague and inadequate. In view of these observations, this paper discusses policy implications and areas of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the portrayal of voyeurism in the 2015 film 'Ratter', exploring its engagement with digital surveillance and voyeuristic practices. Topics include the film's use of surveillance technology to depict gendered and racialized voyeurism, its critique of digital technologies in the context of sexualized violence, and the film's representation of digital privacy and security concerns.