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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.

Introduction: This study explored factors associated with help seeking among cisgender men college and university students who experienced sexual victimization. Methods: We used multilevel logistic regression on data from 33 campuses (n = 4,474 students, 4,674 incidents) to model the association between cisgender men’s help seeking and incident, individual, and campus factors. Results: Incident, individual, and campus factors were associated with help seeking odds. Some factors were associated with increased help seeking odds (e.g. perpetrator in a position of power, being gay or having a disability, campus-level racial diversity), others with decreased odds (e.g. drinking before an incident). Conclusions: Findings have implications for programs and policies. Future studies should attend to the roles of masculinity, power, and campus contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gender-based violence is a tool that primarily functions to maintain gendered power hierarchies. Manifestations of gender-based violence, sexual assault and street harassment have been shown to have significant effects on mental wellbeing in the global North, however there is little research centering the experiences and consequences of gendered harassment in the Africa region. Methods: We analyzed a cross-sectional random sample of 372 women attending a major university in Eswatini in 2017 to measure the prevalence of street harassment among female university students and assess the relationship between experiences of sexual assault, sexualized street harassment, and mental health outcomes in this population. Results: We found that in the previous 12 months, women reported experiencing high levels of sexual assault (20%), street harassment (90%), and depression (38%). Lifetime sexual assault, past 12 months sexual assault, and street harassment were all significantly associated with symptoms of depression. We created a structural model to test hypothesized causal pathways between street harassment, previous experiences of sexual assault, and symptoms of depression, with social support as a potential mediator. We found that a history of sexual violence significantly mediated the association between street harassment and depression, and that social support mediated a large proportion of the association between both forms of gender-based violence and depression. Conclusion: Sexualized street harassment is associated with increased depressive symptomology for nearly all women, however the effects are especially pronounced for women who have previous experiences of sexual violence. Sexualized street harassment functions as a tool to maintain gendered power hierarchies by reminding women of ongoing threat of sexual violence even in public spaces. Social support and solidarity among women is a potentially important source of resiliency against the physical and mental harms of all forms of gender based violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual minority (SM) men’s sexual revictimization (SR; i.e. experiences of adult victimization among childhood sexual abuse survivors) is an understudied topic despite evidence that SM men are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence (SV) over the life course. This study addresses this gap utilizing a diverse sample (n = 2859) of SM men (age 18–30) from the U.S. Results demonstrated that over 10% of SM men had experienced SR. Further, strength-based (e.g. sense of LGBTQIA2S+ community) and minority-stress (e.g. internalized homonegativity) related factors were examined as moderators of the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual assault victimization (ASAV) in the past six months. One factor emerged as a significant moderator of the CSA-ASAV relationship: perceived discrimination. Practice-based implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people represent a small percent of the population and yet, they experience sexual violence (SV) at disproportionately high rates compared to their cisgender counterparts. Little is known about how SV relates to TGD people’s gender identity and their ability to engage in posttraumatic growth (PTG). The purpose of the present study is to gain a nuanced understanding of the role that SV plays in the lives of TGD people. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight TGD participants, and an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) revealed two superordinate (i.e. negative impacts of SV on self and factors that facilitated recovery from SV) and twelve subordinate (i.e. systemic oppression, mental health outcomes, gender dysphoria and transitioning, difficulties with disclosure, lack of resources, physical intimacy, advocacy, connection and support, strengths, posttraumatic growth, affirming resources, and hope) themes. Implications for practice include the use of gender-affirming interventions; understanding the potential interplay between gender dysphoria, oppression, and trauma; and exploration of strengths and avenues for growth. Directions for future research include the use of diverse samples and a mixed-method approach to studying this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Conclusion In Japan, amidst insufficient legal provisions and governmental support, in 2010, the first rape crisis center, the Sexual Assault Crisis Healing Intervention Center Osaka (SACHICO) was established. We compared SACHICO visitor data from 2010 to 2021 with National Police Agency statistics to clarify the current situation of sexual assault victims in Japan and considered future issues for Japan to address.This study was a cross‐sectional study that analyzed the data described below. All visitations to SACHICO between April 2010 and December 2021 were considered targets for data totaling. Data on crime statistics were gathered from the official governmental statistics portal site.A total of 12 036 visitations occurred, of which 3189 were first‐time consultations; 3100 initial medical examinations were conducted, and no medical examination was conducted in the remaining 89 cases (2.7%). The number of initial medical examinations increased 3.7 times from 2010 to 2021. Victims under the age of 19 comprised 60% of the total number of initial medical examinations (1863/3100). The reporting rate for all 3100 initial medical examinations was only 31.3% (969/3100) of the cases. The proportion of forcible sexual intercourse versus forcible indecency were the converse of those observed among acknowledged cases nationwide and in Osaka Prefecture. For several years, the number of initial medical consultations at SACHICO has exceeded that of acknowledged cases in Osaka Prefecture.Support for victims of sexual assault in Japan is still insufficient. It is necessary to strengthen the system of rape crisis centers system to realize an unbroken chain of support for victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive sexual health education for young people often remains largely inaccessible, leaving gaps in knowledge about sexual consent, refusals, sexual assault, and sexting. Snapchat’s My AI, tailored to its users, offers accessible and potentially stigma-free responses to sexual health queries, showing promise in addressing these gaps. This study aimed to evaluate My AI’s effectiveness in handling questions related to sexual communication, assault, and sexting, and its response consistency across users. Collaborating with young adults and leveraging prior literature, our team formulated questions on sexual consent, refusals, sexual assault, and sexting submitted to My AI by 15 researchers. Each team member opened a chat with My AI in Snapchat and asked it a set of questions in the same order. We then conducted a qualitative content analysis to assess for consistency across users. My AI responses emphasized the importance of clear, honest consent and refusal communication through physical contact or direct conversation. With potential experiences of sexual assault or sexting, it advised consultation with a trusted caregiver. While My AI provided similar responses across researchers, variations were noted. My AI’s responses mirrored common sexual health education messages and the responses used language reflective of sympathy toward potential assault victims or those who were asked for sexual images. My AI’s potential to enhance accessibility to sexual health information could empower young people in making informed sexual health decisions. However, variability in responses may limit impact and comprehension, underscoring the importance of educators complementing these tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this interview, Corban Addison exposes the harsh reality of child sex trafficking in India and across borders with his first-hand experiences with victims, survivors, and activists. Addison has written books on human rights, injustice in the world, and its culture. His works include A Walk Across the Sun (2012), The Garden of Burning Sand (2013), The Tears of Dark Water (2015), A Harvest of Thorns (2017), and Wastelands: The True Story of Farm Country on Trial (2022). Addison, being an engineer, lawyer, and author, began experimenting with writing at the age of fifteen years. He has used his profession as a lawyer in his writing to depict human atrocities, provide validity to victims, and advocate the abolition of modern slavery through his narratives. In this conversation, Addison talks about how he ended up writing A Walk Across the Sun while discussing sexual slavery, his background research, and how he was able to understand the experiences and trauma of sexual violence. He shares anecdotes of his journey to tsunami-affected areas, brothels, and meetings with victims and activists and how he portrays the sexual violence, trauma, and redemption from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis article explores forced migrant women’s transnational experiences of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), emphasizing that dynamic forms of violence travel with women across international borders. Through qualitative interviews with Arabic-speaking forced migrant women who have experienced SGBV, we examine how the selective permeability of international borders facilitates the perpetration of SGBV. Our analysis identified SGBV was perpetrated against participants across a range of forced migration settings. Structural and symbolic violence also persisted across international borders, creating additional barriers to accessing formal support services. The findings indicate that international borders remain permeable to diverse forms of structural, symbolic and interpersonal SGBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment examines how a police interviewer’s judgment error and apology affect a sexual violence victim’s secondary victimization, trust in the interviewer, rapport, and willingness to provide information. Ninety students from Peru were asked to imagine being sexual violence victims and were interviewed online by a mock police interviewer. Participants were randomized into three conditions: judgment error without apology, judgment error with apology, and a no-error control. The judgment error involved suggesting the victim was partly responsible for their victimhood, citing women’s clothing choices and questioning men’s masculinity. Our findings show judgment errors reduced trust, rapport, and willingness to provide information while increasing secondary victimization; apologizing improved trust and rapport but did not affect secondary victimization or willingness to provide information. These outcomes indicate that judgment errors in sexual violence victim interviews can negatively impact the interviewing process and outcomes and highlight the importance of an apology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

\nThis study compared the qualitative nature of women and men’s sexual violence (SV) victimization, the types of experiences captured and missed on the Sexual Experiences Survey-Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV) across genders, and common interpretations of the SES-SFV items. Fifty-four university students (31 women, 21 cis men, 2 trans men) who had recent unwanted (but not necessarily nonconsensual) sexual experiences thought out loud while privately completing the SES-SFV. They also typed descriptions of experiences reported on SES-SFV items or similar experiences when nothing was reported on an item. Results indicated that women’s victimization was more frequent and severe than cis men’s, except when men were victimized by men. Although verbal coercion was common across genders, event descriptions indicated that women’s verbal coercion experiences were more often harsh and part of a partner’s ongoing SV or coercive control. The findings suggest that quantitative measurement can mask important gender differences in victimization and (based on analysis of false positives and negatives) may underestimate rape and attempted rape experiences, especially women’s. Findings suggested that responding to the SES-SFV was not traumatic or distressing. However, participants sometimes expressed confusion about the items and interpreted them in unintended ways.Read the transcriptWatch the video on Vimeo© 2024 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nPUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTWomen veterans are a steadily growing population and have unique military experiences (e.g., report high rates of sexual harassment and assault) that are impactful across the lifespan. High levels of positive social support have been linked to a range of positive outcomes in both civilian and military populations. However, research has not consistently explored social support and interpersonal functioning in women veterans, or as potential mechanisms of change within interventions for women veterans. This is a scoping review of peer-reviewed articles that evaluated social support. Articles with at least 10% women or formally evaluated sex or gender in reference to social support were included. A total of 69 studies evaluated social support in relation to women veterans’ health outcomes. From a biopsychosocial perspective, social support is an important construct to examine relative to health care engagement and response. Limited research considered aging women veterans needs or focused on the intersectional identities of women veterans. Positive social support can have major physical and mental health benefits, yet limited research and disparate methodological approaches minimize the ability to draw conclusions on how social support can best be leveraged to support women veterans. Women veterans’ roles and military experiences (e.g., increased likelihood of combat exposure) are changing and this population is aging. Research is needed to inform best practices for this growing segment of the veteran population.Women veterans are a growing population with unique military experiences and post-service health needs. Positive social support can have major physical and mental health benefits, however unique effects of women veterans’ social support have been understudied particularly with regards to the impact over the lifespan. This review summarizes the state of literature on social support in women veterans, describes relationships among social support and mental and physical health outcomes, and highlights implications for future research, intervention, and prevention work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from a mixed methods study on discrimination and violence against lgbtq+ people conducted in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) in 2021–2022. The research is situated in a country without specific laws against hate crimes towards sexual and gender minorities, and where the production of applicable information is weak. Our analysis pursues two goals related to a gendered reading of physical/sexual violence and verbal harassment towards lgbtq+ people. The first has a descriptive nature: to estimate how the incidence of selected forms of interpersonal violence interacts with the sex/gender identifications of victimized people. The second goal – that shifts from description to interpretation – is about exploring different understandings of the sex/gender regime that emerge from the experiences of victimization reported. Results show that ‘engendering’ assumes rather different – although overlapping – meanings when it comes to interpreting homophobia or transphobia. Against the tendency to consider different gender perspectives as mutually exclusive or antagonistic, we propose that they should be considered complementary. The potentialities and limitations of a standardized method of research are also discussed in relation to attempts to account for discrimination and violence against lgbtq+ people adopting an intersectional gaze. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many adolescents are vulnerable to gender-based violence, and it is a major public health issue. Even though the burden of gender-based violence is still high in Ethiopia, there is a lack of summary information to address the problem. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled magnitude and factors associated with gender-based violence among female students in Ethiopian higher educational institutions. Methods: The primary articles were searched using databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and African Journal Online. Articles that assessed the magnitude and factors associated with GBV among female students in Ethiopia were included. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used to extract the data, which was then exported to Stata version 14 for further analysis. The statistical heterogeneity was evaluated using the I² test. Due to heterogeneity, a random effect meta-analysis model was employed. Publication bias was checked through Egger's weighted regression test and funnel plot. Results: This study included twenty-five primary studies with 13,013 participants. The prevalence of lifetime GBV (n = 7), sexual violence (n = 25), and physical violence (n = 7) was found to be 51.42% (42.38, 60.46), 46.53% (39.86, 53.21), and 37.93% (24.68, 51.18), respectively. Witnessing their mother's abuse by their father during childhood, a lack of open discussion in the family about reproductive health and related personal issues, alcohol consumption, and tight family control were some of the factors significantly associated with lifetime gender-based violence. Furthermore, those who had drunken friends, a regular boyfriend, multiple sexual partners, and chat chewing were factors significantly associated with lifetime sexual violence. Conclusions and recommendations: Our findings revealed that half of female students at higher institutions suffered from violence. So it is recommended to provide accessible information about the consequences of GBV and early intervention for students with the above factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stigma is a key barrier to disclosing traumatic experiences of violence in childhood with adverse consequences for help-seeking behaviour. Disclosing behavior differs by gender and the form of violence experienced. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies that address societal perceptions of males and females with a history of sexual or physical violence in childhood. Therefore, our aim is to focus on the impact of gender on the perception of individuals who experienced sexual or physical violence in childhood. Methods: We conducted a study on a representative sample of the German general population in terms of age and gender. Participants were randomly assigned to brief case vignettes addressing sexual or physical violence in childhood. Analyses base on a sample of n = 659 individuals (50.1% female). Stigma was assessed through examining respondents' readiness to address specific traumas in conversation and respondents' attitudes toward the individuals in the vignettes. Mann–Whitney U tests were applied to check for differences between female and male victims and survivors as well as female and male respondents. Results: Our results reveal that male victims and survivors face higher negative stereotypes (harm, unpredictability) and evoke communication barriers more often when compared to female victims and survivors, especially in male respondents. Sexual violence is associated with more distinct gender differences than physical violence. Conclusions: Findings reflect greater stigma toward male victims and survivors of sexual violence than female ones. Men had a greater tendency to stigmatize – especially toward their same-gender peers. Socially ingrained gender roles may act as a basis for different communication cultures and the notion of victim-perpetrator constellations in which males are not envisaged as victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Rape is one of the trauma incidents with the highest risk of subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder. Early interventions, such as prolonged exposure therapy (PE), have shown promise in preventing PTSD following a sexual assault. The primary objective of this internal pilot trial was to examine the feasibility of the EIR study protocol, which used modified prolonged exposure therapy (mPE) as a preventive intervention after rape. Methods: This parallel two-arm clinical pilot study involved three sexual assault centers (SACs) in Trondheim, Oslo, and Vestfold, with data collected between June 2022 and March 2023. Women seeking assistance at one of these three SACs within 72 h after rape or attempted rape received acute medical treatment and forensic examinations. Women who wanted further psychosocial treatment were, if eligible and consenting, recruited to complete baseline assessments and a clinical interview before being randomized to one of two study arms. The intervention group prescribed up to five sessions of modified PE (mPE) in addition to treatment as usual (TAU), starting within the first 14 days after the rape incident, followed by weekly sessions. The other group received TAU. The present pilot evaluation is based on 22 participants, i.e., nine mPE + TAU and 13 TAU alone. Primary outcomes were predefined progression criteria regarding recruitment, retention, intervention implementation, a harm reporting system, and applying biological measurements and actigraphy. Results: During the 6-month recruitment period, 235 women visited the three SACs. After eligibility screening and consent, 22 (9.4%) women were randomized. Three months later, 14 (63.6%) participants completed the final assessments. Intervention implementation was successful using trained SAC personnel to deliver mPE. The harm reporting system was used according to the study's plan, and adverse and serious adverse events were detected during the trial. The biological measurements and actigraphy had substantial missing data but were still considered usable for statistical analyses. Conclusion: It may be feasible to conduct a full-scale RCT of early intervention after rape by comparing mPE + TAU to TAU alone. Minor design refinements were made to the protocol to enhance the main study outcome. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05489133. Registered on 15 July 2022, retrospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Sexual assault in the U.S. Military is a serious concern. Recruiting representative samples of service members to participate in sexual assault research is essential for understanding the scope of the problem and generating data that can inform prevention and intervention efforts. Accordingly, the current study aims to examine response and completion rates of an anonymous survey of sexual assault and alcohol use among active duty sailors aged 18 to 24 with the overarching goal of achieving a representative sample and informing future recruitment efforts. Materials and Methods This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the Naval Health Research Center. The study involved an anonymous survey of sexual assault and alcohol use among 612 active duty sailors aged 18 to 24. Since 79.6% of Navy service members are men and 20.4% are women, women were oversampled to achieve sufficient representation. Survey invitations were emailed to 12,031 active duty sailors: 64.3% (n  = 7,738) men and 35.7% (n  = 4,293) women. Results Response rates were disproportionate, with 3.0% (n  = 234) of male and 8.8% (n  = 377) of female sailors responding to the study invitation. Survey completion rates, however, were similar between male and female sailors (81.2% and 80.1% for male and female personnel, respectively). Conclusion Results demonstrated that female sailors were significantly more likely than male sailors to participate in a study of sexual assault and alcohol use. However, once enrolled in the study, male and female sailors completed the 234-item questionnaire at a similar rate. Study findings highlight the challenges of engaging male service members in sexual assault–related research. Despite the disproportionately high representation of men in the military, sexual assault researchers may need to sample according to the overall distribution of gender in the military or perhaps even oversample men to achieve a representative sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The Office of the Secretary of Defense and each of the services have made an unprecedented commitment to the prevention of sexual assault and related behavioral health phenomena. Indeed, the Department of Air Force has selected, in some cases tailored, and disseminated a wide array of evidence-based preventative programs, policies, and practices (EBPs) over the last few decades. However, many of these efforts seem to follow a predictable life course. EBPs are initially implemented with great enthusiasm, supported for a few years, then fall out of favor, and are replaced by a different effort. This research effort aims to build on the existing civilian implementation science research to (1) offer a military-specific model of sustained, high-quality implementation and (2) test this model in a series of interconnected studies. Materials and Methods New York University's Institutional Review Board approved the study protocols, and the Army's Human Research Protection Office provided permission to collect data. We conducted interviews first with prevention leaders in the services and at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level regarding factors that they thought helped or hurt the sustainment of EBPs. We used these interviews to identify EBPs currently implemented in Department of Air Force and selected four EBPs out of the 25 identified for intensive study. We then interviewed implementers of those four EBPs regarding what they thought helped or hurt the sustainment of that EBP. We also gathered information about the 25 currently implemented EBPs themselves and gathered policy and guidance, as well as leadership communication about those EBPs and the target problems they focus on. We coded this information to allow us to test EBP parameters and policy and leader communication that predict sustained high-quality implementation. We conducted over 100 observations of the 4 EBPs we are studying intensively and have collected quantitative data from implementers and participants to help us test factors related to sustained high-quality implementation within each of those 4 EBPs and across the EBPs. Results Several military-specific factors were nominated for inclusion in the military-specific model of implementation sustainment. The implementation of even highly standardized EBPs varies greatly. Implementers and participants are generally highly engaged, but implementers vary in the extent to which they understand the mechanisms of action for the EBP they are implementing. Conclusions We recommend training implementers in the mechanisms of action in the EBPs they are expected to implement and including quality assurance as a component of prevention efforts in a manner more similar to how the military addresses aspects of the operational mission. By moving beyond counting classes and attendance, and specifying how to engage participants in the EBPs in the manner that produces the key outcomes, it is likely that EBPs will have more robust implementations that can be better sustained over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual assault is a highly consequential public health issue associated with multiple mental health sequelae. Given the mental health impact of sexual assault, understanding the recovery strategies survivors utilize is critical. A growing body of work suggests that physical activity may represent a powerful recovery tool post-trauma. However, existing work has primarily focused on the benefits of yoga or cardio exercise. Martial arts may provide unique benefits to sexual assault survivors including increased self-defense self-efficacy, empowerment, and corrective experiences with trauma reminders. However, no extant research has examined the perceived benefits of recreational martial arts practice for sexual assault survivors. The current study utilized content analysis of responses to items assessing the perceived recovery benefits of martial arts among a sample of primarily cisgender women martial arts practitioners (n = 50) with sexual assault histories. Survivors described multiple recovery benefits to their practice. Some benefits described were similar to those associated with other forms of physical activity, such as access to social support, improved physical health, and improved well-being. Other benefits identified were martial arts-specific including survivors viewing martial arts practice as a tool to reclaim bodily autonomy, decrease perceived vulnerability to future sexual assault, and manage PTSD symptoms and triggers. Findings support the potential of martial arts as a powerful recovery tool for survivors. Future research should evaluate how martial arts practice can be structured to ensure that it is healing and empowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual assaults' effects on survivors' sexual pleasure have been well-documented in the literature. However, much of this research is quantitative in nature and focuses on the negative effects of assault on sexual satisfaction. The present study seeks to address a gap in the literature that has failed to ask survivors what they enjoy about having sex and the pleasure they derive from sex. Through a qualitative interview study of a diverse, community sample of sexual assault survivors, we identified several themes around survivors' sexual pleasure. Prior to the assault, survivors mentioned limited pleasure due to men not being interested in giving them sexual pleasure, but they also enjoyed the emotional connections felt during sex. Some survivors mentioned impacts on their ability to enjoy sex, but this was not universal in the sample. Finally, queer survivors mentioned feeling more sexual pleasure with women, and survivors found empowerment in exploring what they liked about having sex and sexual pleasure with current partners who supported them emotionally. We discuss the importance of a focus on the sexual pleasure of survivors from a sex-positive, rather than a "high risk", framework in future research, along with suggestions to improve sexual health interventions with survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The #MeToo movement and social media have increased public awareness of sexual violence, particularly when committed by high-profile celebrities. Presently, we are within a unique sociocultural space, often referred to as "cancel culture," in which perpetrators of sexual violence may face increased accountability. However, "cancelation" is not equally applied to all perpetrators. The purpose of this study was to explore the roles of perpetrator likeability and tactic (i.e., force and coercion) on the degree to which perpetrators are "canceled" (i.e., held accountable through personal, professional, and legal repercussions) for sexual assault. Among a sample of 238 participants, results of this experimental vignette study revealed that perpetrators viewed as unlikeable received more blame than those who were likeable or described in a neutral manner, with the survivors in the likeable perpetrator and neutral scenarios receiving greater blame. Moreover, perpetrators who used coercion were less likely to be blamed and be held accountable than those who used force, with the survivors in the coercive scenarios receiving greater blame. No interaction effects emerged between likeability and tactic, suggesting that the main effects operate independently of one another. Though the #MeToo movement and cancel culture have created cultural change in the United States, the findings from this study suggest that perpetrators continue to be held less accountable, so long as they are not unlikeable and do not use force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the rarely examined experiences of unaccompanied refugee minors in Nairobi, Kenya. Children are thought to comprise up to a third of Nairobi's refugee population, however, there is virtually no data on them. The paper provides a first analysis of a unique dataset to ascertain unaccompanied minor refugees' experiences of physical, emotional, resource related, and sexual violence. Our research findings indicate widespread violence among refugee children living in Nairobi, and denote the prevalence of several kinds of violence in particular. Our results also reveal which children are most at risk and the type of abuse they are most likely to experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an original 2021 survey of mayors in U.S. mayors in cities of 10,000 in population and above, we explore the individual costs of psychological and physical violence. These costs include emotional distress, diverted attention from the job, and considerations about leaving the job. Overall, we find that 95 percent of mayors faced violence in office. Among those who did, the more violence reported, the more likely they were to have faced such costs. Further, those mayors (mostly women) who faced sexualized violence were more likely to have reported those effects. All told, violence against officeholders has individual effects as well as systemic ones. If violence keeps mayors from being able to do their job fully or causes them to leave it, the political costs may be quite grave in terms of losing experienced representatives—and it may also have disparate effects on particular groups of officeholders, such as women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty years after the beginning of the transition in Argentina and 50 years after the Chilean coup d'état, this article analyzes the sexual violence against women implemented in clandestine detention centers (CDCs) as political, terrorist, and genocidal violence. Through a qualitative approach to the testimonies of former political prisoners, this paper aims to understand sexual violence against women in the experiences of concentration camps as a specific form of violence within the framework of conservative reconstructions of the civil-military dictatorships in Argentina and Chile. This violence, which was a total patriarchal act, not only sought to punish and discipline “deviant” female militants, but also to harm militant men. Likewise, it was established as a permanent threat against female detainees and a way of suppressing change and subjective, cultural, and social subversions, which, in parallel or as part of the political experience, developed in the countries of the Latin American Southern Cone. It is argued that sexual violence is a form of terrorism and genocide, since it projects terror into a specific group of the population and seeks to annul the possibility of being a woman when she breaks with the sacralized mandates of the patriarchal order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, the Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) Texas Ranger Division (TRD) identified approximately 3300 registered sex offenders (RSOs) from whom a "lawfully owed" DNA sample was missing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Lawfully owed DNA (LODNA) is defined as a DNA sample from a qualifying offender who should have had their sample entered into CODIS, but for unknown reasons did not. As a result of those findings, TXDPS then applied for and was awarded a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative to collect DNA specimens from these RSOs, and to perform a statewide LODNA census. TXDPS TRD sought to determine: Are the missed DNA collection problems limited to RSO's or are they occurring among individuals with a qualifying arrest or conviction as specified by state law too? What processes are used to identify individuals who are eligible for DNA sample collection? How is an individuals' DNA collection eligibility conveyed to external agencies? The findings from TXDPS' LODNA census, identified 43,245 individuals who were likely eligible for DNA collection between 1995 and 2020, therefore indicating statewide DNA collection issues. Over 4 years, collection efforts pertaining to the aforementioned lawfully owed census, have yielded 5183 LODNA sample collections, and 276 CODIS hits. This manuscript aims to create an awareness within other agencies of the importance of implementing best practices to ensure the collection and upload of LODNA from every eligible individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mating represents a suite of fundamental adaptive problems for humans. Yet a community of men, called incels (involuntary celibates), forge their identity around their perceived inability to solve these problems. Many incels engage in misogynistic online hostility, and there are concerns about violence stemming from the community. Despite significant media speculation about the potential mating psychology of incels, this has yet to be formally investigated in the scientific literature. In the first formal investigation of incel mating psychology, we compared a sample (n = 151) of self-identified male incels with non-incel single males (n = 149). Findings revealed that incels have a lower sense of self-perceived mate-value and a greater external locus of control regarding their singlehood. Contrary to mainstream media narratives, incels also reported lower minimum standards for mate preferences than non-incels. Incels (and non-incel single men) significantly overestimated the importance of physical attractiveness and financial prospects to women, and underestimated the importance of intelligence, kindness, and humor. Furthermore, incels underestimated women's overall minimum mate preference standards. Our findings suggest that incels should be targeted for interventions to challenge cognitive distortions around female mate preferences. Implications for incels' mental health and misogynistic attitudes are discussed, as well as directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La clinique révèle la fréquente absence de honte chez les auteurs de violences sexuelles comme un négatif de la honte éprouvée par les victimes. Nous avons cherché à comprendre ce paradoxe en analysant les dynamiques de l'introjection de la honte dans l'identification à l'agresseur chez la victime et l'injection de la honte dans l'identification projective de l'agresseur sur sa victime. Nous nous sommes intéressés à Louis, un prêtre destitué, condamné pour comportements pédocriminels. Cette étude fait partie d'une recherche doctorale qualitative menée auprès d'une population de sujets incarcérés à partir d'entretiens de recherche structurés autour du récit de vie. Nous observons chez Louis, comme souvent chez nos sujets de recherche auteurs de violences sexuelles, que derrière l'apparente absence de honte, se dessine une grande honte inconsciente, tout d'abord introjectée dans les abus subis, puis retournée et injectée dans la relation intersubjective et dans les abus commis, comme moyen de décharge d'une honte insupportable. L'introjection de la honte de l'agresseur par sa victime dans la dynamique de l'identification à l'agresseur décrite par Ferenczi apparaît comme la réciproque de l'injection de la honte par l'agresseur à sa victime dans la dynamique de l'identification projective : une identification projective ordinaire sous la forme d'un retournement projectif de la honte et une identification projective opératoire sous la forme de comportements violents et pervers. Le mécanisme des vases communicants psychiques de la honte chez les auteurs et victimes de violences sexuelles, entre injection et introjection, permet de mieux comprendre le caractère contagieux de cet affect dans l'étiologie des violences sexuelles. Forensic clinical investigation frequently reveals the absence of shame in perpetrators of sexual violence while simultaneously victims seem overwhelmed by shame. We sought to understand this paradox by analyzing the dynamics of the introjection of shame in victims' identification with the aggressor and of the injection of shame in the aggressor's projective identification with his victim. We focused on the case of Louis, a dismissed priest, sentenced for pedocriminal behavior. This case is part of a qualitative research project conducted on a population of 14 inmates of a Parisian prison and based on interviews structured around the individual's life story and analyzed with the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology. We observe that behind Louis's apparent absence of shame, as with many of our research subjects guilty of sexual violence, there is, in fact, a great deal of unconscious shame, first introjected by the victim in the abuse suffered, and later injected in the victim in the abuse committed as a means to unload an unbearable shame. The introjection of the shame of the aggressor by his victim in the dynamic of Ferenczi's identification with the aggressor appears as a complement to the injection of shame by the aggressor into his victim through the dynamic of projective identification: both an ordinary projective identification in the form of a projective reversal of shame, and an operative projective identification in the form of perverse behaviors. The communicating vessels of shame among perpetrators and victims of sexual violence, between injection and introjection, help us better understand the contagious characteristics of shame in the etiology of sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Sexually Aggressive Behaviors Scale (SABS) in a sample of 1,632 heterosexual Portuguese female college students, aged between 18 and 39 years old (M = 22.40; SD = 4.31). The internal structure of the scale was investigated, along with analyses of the internal consistency, and validity evidence in relation to external variables. Participants completed an online survey that was disseminated using Portuguese universities' mailing lists and social networks. Results supported a single factor solution consisting of 10 items. Evidence was gathered in favor of the internal consistency and convergent/discriminant validity in relation to other variables, such as rape myths, psychopathic traits, and perception of intimacy. This study adds to the evidence of the SABS being an appropriate evaluation tool with female college students, allowing the rigorous assessment of sexual violence as committed by community women against a reluctant male partner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the emotional states preceding and during sexual and violent offenses in a Dutch sample of male forensic inpatients. Moreover, the predictive impact of these emotional states on institutional violence in the first year of mandated care was examined using an incident scheme. Observer-ratings of emotional states by 103 male offenders and 97 sex offenders were examined using Mann-Whitney U tests. Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses, the predictive relationship between crime-related emotional states and incidents was examined. Sexual and violent crimes were equally preceded by painful emotions, primarily feelings of abandonment. During violent crimes, a state of bully and attack was dominant whereas sexual crimes were also characterized by self-aggrandizement and manipulation. These emotional states were not predictive for institutional violence. This study emphasizes the importance of emotional states in offending behavior and usefulness of schema therapy's crime theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This study examined predictors of sexual victimization among autistic and non-autistic college students. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether autistic students are more likely than non-autistic students to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault, controlling for co-occurring diagnoses. We also aimed to determine whether students with other disabilities, specifically ADHD, learning disability (LD), and psychological disorders, are more likely than students without these disabilities to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault. Methods. Autistic students (n=270) and non-autistic students (n=270) who had participated in a nationwide survey were matched on demographic characteristics and co-occurring diagnoses. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to address the research questions and evaluate predictors of unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault. Results. Autistic students were as likely as non-autistic students to have experienced unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault, controlling for co-occurring diagnoses. Regardless of autism diagnostic status, students with ADHD were more likely than students without ADHD to have experienced unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault. Conclusions. Although autism diagnostic status was not a significant predictor of unwanted sexual contact or sexual assault, other factors associated with increased risk of sexual victimization, such as co-occurring ADHD, are likely to be found in autistic populations. This study highlights the importance of educational, social, and institutional supports to decrease sexual victimization among college students with neurodevelopmental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence and nature of sexual violence at UK universities has been aligned with a 'rape culture', where sexual violence is taken-for-granted. Calls to change such a culture permeate literature from government, charities, regulatory bodies, and academia. This paper pulls out of the literature the strategies called to change rape culture. Focusing on three overarching strategies: naming sexual violence, reporting sexual violence, and preventing sexual violence. We carried out a website analysis of all UK universities that focused on gathering data along these three themes to ascertain the extent to which their websites supported changing the culture of sexual violence at their university. Many universities' websites had an online reporting tool and defined sexual violence, but many universities' websites did not have information about bystander initiatives (the prevention strategy we focused on). The research raises implications for universities to enhance their website pages for in-person bystander initiatives and to standardise definitions of sexual violence used in online reporting tools. Consequently, more research is needed into what definitions of sexual violence are used, the type of language used and the efficacy of online reporting tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual violence against men in conflict settings is neither a rare nor recent phenomenon, yet its absence in academic scholarship and humanitarian initiatives remains glaring. Despite the advances in our understanding of the determinants of wartime sexual violence against women, surprisingly little empirical research exists on sexual violence against men in conflict. Acts of sexual violence are commonly enacted against men in war, yet because they do not fit more narrow definitions of rape, accounts of these experiences are often misclassified as "torture." Moreover, in many countries experiencing pervasive conflict-related sexual violence, there exist restrictive laws regarding sodomy and homosexuality, reducing the chances that males will report their experiences. Using originally coded data on sexual and gender identity laws and reported incidents of sexual violence in civil conflict, I find that laws that outline the protection of sexual and gender identity expression including the decriminalization of same-sex activity are significantly associated with reports of acts of sexual violence against men. The results speak to the gap in the literature on male sexual violence with tangible consequences for the distribution of humanitarian aid, availability of medical and psychological services for victims, and aims of peacekeeping missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining changes in perspectives of sexual violence across the #MeToo movement is critical to understanding shifts in sociocultural contexts of sexual violence; yet the literature is still nascent. In the present study, we assessed variation across the #MeToo movement in undergraduate students' (N = 1,028) rape myth acceptance, sexual violence experiences, identification of experiences with sexual violence labels, and self-generated definitions of sexual violence labels (e.g., sexual assault). We also examined the mediating role of the relation between timepoint across #MeToo and students' self-generated sexual violence definitions. Text analyses revealed seven themes in students' definitions: Activity, Chronicity, Body, Contact, Gender, Force/Harm, and Consent. Notably, there was greater representation and a higher rate of change in the Contact theme in definitions following the #MeToo movement compared to pre-#MeToo, but only among students with sexual violence history. Rape myth acceptance did not change significantly across the #MeToo movement and did not demonstrate a significant role in time-related variability in students' definitions. These findings provide support for the role of the #MeToo movement in facilitating more inclusive perceptions of sexual violence among undergraduate students, especially among those with sexual violence histories. We hope that with increased insight into the #MeToo movement's impact on sexual violence perspectives, continued efforts of the movement and prevention initiatives can broaden their reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

#MeToo is a digital social movement that has garnered significant attention from feminist scholars since the hashtag obtained viral fame in 2017. Nonetheless, how survivors of sexual violence experience participating in #MeToo remains an understudied question. In this paper we analyze vlogs posted on YouTube under the hashtag to understand how women represent the affordances and drawbacks of participating in the movement, and how they imagine their experiential narratives may affect other survivors. We argue that vloggers represent #MeToo as a forum for breaking the culture of silence that structures sexual violence. As they narrate their experiences, vloggers challenge silencing mechanisms by cultivating voice, resistance strategies, and survivor solidarity, while encouraging viewers to similarly examine their own experiences. Vloggers also identify the emotional burdens associated with disclosure and the damages incurred by confronting rape myths and the entrenched denial of perpetrator guilt as drawbacks of participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines online comments (n = 455) of news articles about sexual assault shared by local news outlets in a rural area of the Deep South to determine the degree to which rape myth acceptance (RMA) is upheld and/or challenged. We found approximately two-thirds of the comments upheld traditional rape myths while one-third focused on supporting the victim and holding the alleged perpetrator accountable. The data also demonstrate the importance of cultural context of the Deep South in shaping the content of rape myths. These findings can be used to guide context-specific education programs that challenge rape myths and elevate community support for victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The mechanisms underlying pain in cases of endometriosis are complex, often involving nociceptive pain, central sensitization, and neuropathic pain. • Assuming that DN4 score serves as a reliable diagnostic tool, we can estimate that the prevalence of neuropathic pain in our cohort is 44.1 %. • Younger age, being in a relationship, having a high EPH-5 score and undergoing laparoscopy for endometriosis are associated with neuropathic pain independently of other variables. • Identifying neuropathic pain could prompt referrals to pain specialists, integrating it into a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach. The mechanisms underlying pain in cases of endometriosis or chronic pelvic pain are complex, often involving various types of pain; mainly nociceptive pain, central sensitization, and neuropathic pain. Our main objective was to examine the prevalence of neuropathic pain in women with symptomatic endometriosis, and secondary, to explore the factors associated with this type of pain and to assess the prevalence of a positive PPSC score and a history of sexual violence within this population. This study is a retrospective, comparative, single-center cohort study conducted from September 2019 to January 2023. The presence of neuropathic pain was confirmed by a positive DN4 score, defined as greater than or equal to 4. The association with the following variables was studied: age, BMI, marital status, smoking, alcohol and drugs consumption, age at menarche, gestity, parity, duration of exposure to endometriosis, MRI locations, laparoscopy for endometriosis and post-laparoscopy r-ASRM classification, hormone treatment, associated symptoms, VAS, associated pathologies, infertility consultation, Pain Center consultation, EPH-5 score, positive PPSC score (≥5), and history of sexual violence. The prevalence of neuropathic pain was 44.1%. Younger age, being in a relationship, having a high EPH-5 score and undergoing laparoscopy for endometriosis are associated with neuropathic pain independently of other variables. Our study underscores the persistent high prevalence of neuropathic pain in endometriosis cases, emphasizing the importance of actively screening for it. Identifying neuropathic pain could prompt referrals to pain specialists, integrating it into a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an average of five rape cases reported in Malaysia on a daily basis. The problem lies not in the hands of an individual or a few misogynistic men but in society as a whole. It lies in the mind-set of the people and every one of us taking part in rape culture by endorsing rape myths. Rape myth acceptance within the Malaysian society encourages sexual assaults or sexual violence. Some of the popular rape myths are the victim's choice of clothing, emotional reactions of victims, presence of physical injuries, rape happens between strangers, women lie about rape, and men cannot be raped. These most common rape myths are discussed and then debunked. Subsequently, the aftermath of rape is explained. Proactive actions against rape are also presented as many of the existing school-based programs against rape are lopsided as women are taught on how to avoid rape instead of men being taught to respect women and prevent rape. This article aims to serve as an eye-opener for Malaysian counselors, psychologists, educators, and society as a whole to build up their knowledge, skills, and experience when working or dealing with rape victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate wounding resulting from injuries inflicted by persons once loved and trusted cause deep suffering and complicate the recovery process. This form of interpersonal trauma often involves not only betrayal but sexual abuse or assault, so the wounding is targeted to the most private and personal parts of one's body causing an injury to the spirit of the person. The "culture of silencing" contributes to the complications in healing by imposing attitudes of shame, secrecy, and stigma. Because of the manipulation and exploitation experienced repeatedly by the victims-survivors of intimate wounding they are sensitized to countertherapeutic attitudes of therapists and other would be helpers particularly any judgmental views whether expressed openly or covertly. Treatment requires avoiding pitfalls outlined in the article that will trigger the natural and adaptive hypersensitivity of the victim-survivor who cannot tolerate further devaluation. Individual treatment has to take into account the cultural context that in some important ways participated in the grooming of the client and laid the groundwork through rape culture and toxic masculinity for the exploitation and pressured victims-survivors to keep silent in some cases for decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]