Transcript Chapter Seventeen Power and Sexual Coercion Agenda  Review Trends Associated with Rape and Sexual Assault  Discuss Effects of Rape  Reporting, Avoiding, and.

Chapter Seventeen
Power and Sexual Coercion
Agenda
 Review Trends Associated with Rape and
Sexual Assault
 Discuss Effects of Rape
 Reporting, Avoiding, and Treating Rapists
 Discuss Sexual Abuse of Children
 Discuss Intimate Partner Violence
 Discuss Sexual Harassment
Class Exercise: Part 1
 I am going to read a series of statements. After I
read one, if you agree with it stand up. If you
disagree, remain in your seat.
 Please note that everyone has a right to their own
opinion.
Date rape happens because of mixed messages.
Stranger rape is more traumatic than date rape.
Women say “no” when they really mean “yes”.
Women lie about rape.
A child who is sexually assaulted I an innocent
victim.
A woman who was drinking is partially to blame if
she is raped.
I know someone who was raped.
Class Exercise: Part 2
 Discuss any of the statements that you feel
comfortable talking about.
 Create a list of recommendations to help
lower the incidence of date rape.
Trends Associated with
Rape & Sexual Assault
Defining Rape and Sexual Assault
Incidence of Rape
Characteristics of Rapists
Theories about Rape
Gender Differences in Attitudes about Rape
Ethnic Differences in Attitudes about Rape
Rape in Different Cultures
Defining Rape and Sexual Assault
 Rape is physically or psychologically forced
sexual intercourse
 Sexual assault is the unwanted touching
(including penetration) of an intimate body
part for sexual arousal
Legal Definition of Rape and Sexual Assault
 Every state has its own legal definitions of
rape and sexual assault
 Commonly included in the definitions are lack
of consent, force or threat of force, & vaginal
penetration
 Ejaculation is not necessary in most states
 Those that have been sexually assaulted may
be referred to as victims or survivors
Incidence of Rape
 One of the most underreported crimes in the
U.S.
Only Half of rapes are reported
 Some do not report because they
don’t think it was rape
think they did something to cause it
are shamed and humiliated
fear they won’t be taken seriously
Continued …
Incidence of Rape
 Estimated that 25% of U.S. women will be
raped in her adult lifetime
 Rape is most common during the summer,
and at the lowest in December
 Rape prevalence:
Industrialized nations: 21-25%
Non-industrialized nations: 43-90%
 Prevalent on college campuses, primarily by
acquaintances & with verbal sexual coercion
Class Discussion
 Why do you think that only half of rapes are
reported?
 Discuss implications for each of your reasons.
What could be done to help support rape
victims so that they would report?
Characteristics of Rapists
 Why men rape is mostly unanswered
 60% of college men stated they would use
rape or force under the right conditions
(Ceniti & Malamuth,1984)
Continued …
Characteristics of Rapists
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Between 15-30
Single
Antisocial personality patterns
High impulsivity & aggression levels
Negative early interpersonal experiences
Especially with their father
Sexist
Accept rape myths
Low self-esteem
Politically conservative
Past sexual abuse
Use violent & degrading pornography
Number of rapes/sexual assaults by relationship to offender, 2003. Source: U.S. Department of
Justice-Office of Justice Programs, 2003.
Theories about Rape
 Rapist Psychopathology: A Disease Model
 Victim Precipitation Theory: Blaming the
Victim
 Feminist Theory: Keeping Women in Their
Place
 Sociological Theory: Balance of Power
Rapist Psychopathology: A Disease
Model
 Men rape due to alcohol intoxication, mental
illness, or uncontrollable sexual urges
 Disease or alcohol leads men to rape
 Research fails to support any physical
distinguishing characteristics of rapists
Victim Precipitation Theory: Blaming
the Victim
 Victims make themselves vulnerable to rape
by their dress, behaviors, & where they go
 Women are not engaging in risky behavior
prior to the majority of rapes
 Men are more likely to believe this theory
than women
 This line of thinking adds to victim’s guilt
Feminist Theory: Keeping Women in
Their Place
 Rape and its threat is used by society to keep
women in a position subordinate to men’s
 Sex-role stereotyping encourages rape
Men are strong & aggressive
Women are weak & passive
Sociological Theory: Balance of Power
 Rape is an expression of power differentials
in society
 When men feel they are losing power, they
need to overpower women with their symbol
of masculinity (penis) to reestablish a sense
of control over the world
 Rape is a matter of power issues and sexual
issues
Gender Differences in Attitudes about
Rape
 Men have less sensitive attitudes toward rape
& attribute more responsibility to the victim,
believe more rape myths & tend to read
friendly or neutral signals as an invitation to
sex
 Females find rape more justified if a woman
was “leading a man on”
 Men seem to have a decline in negative rape
attitudes over the four years in college
Rape in Different Cultures
 The U.S. has the highest number of reported
rapes
 Rape incidence varies by each culture’s
definition
In some cultures rape is accepted as a
legitimate form of punishment
In some cultures, rape is used as a form of
initiation
Rape on Campus
 35 of 1000 college women are raped or have
an attempted rape each year
Most knew their attacker
 Most college students do not feel comfortable
reporting the attacks or pressing charges
Most only tell a friend
 8-16% of women & 2-7% of men have been
stalked, though the genders have different
definitions of stalking
Percentages of stalking behaviors on college campuses. Source: B. S. Fisher et al., 2000; Stalking
Resource Center, 2000.
Alcohol and Rape
 Alcohol use is one of the strongest predictors
of acquaintance rape
 Involved in half of all rape cases, either by the
victim, attacker, or both
 Alcohol “sexualizes” the environment for men
 Alcohol increases flirting & teasing for some
women
 Alcohol increases risky sexual behavior in
women & men
Alcohol and Rape
 43% of college women have regretted
intercourse while intoxicated
 A drunk man who is accused of rape is seen
as less responsible due to the alcohol
 A drunk woman who was raped is seen as
more responsible for her behavior
Discuss Double Standard about Alcohol and
Rape
 Research suggests the following:
A drunk man who is accused of rape is
seen as less responsible due to the alcohol
A drunk woman who was raped is seen as
more responsible for her behavior
 Why do you think this double standard exists?
 What are the implications of this double
standard?
Effects of Rape
Rape Trauma Syndrome
Silent Rape Reaction
Rape of Partners and Other Special
Populations
How Partners React to Rape
Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS)
 RTS is a 2-stage response pattern of
physical, behavioral, psychological, and/or
sexual problems
Acute Phase (stage 1)
Long-term Reorganization (stage 2)
RTS: Acute Phase
 Begins immediately and may last many
weeks
 Fear of being alone, of strangers, & of the
place where the rape occurred
 Anger, anxiety, confusion, shock, disbelief,
incoherence, guilt, humiliation, shame, selfblame
 Wide mood fluctuations
 Difficulties sleeping, nightmares
 Most women tell someone, though half wait
years to do so
Continued …
RTS: Acute Phase
 Most speak with friends or family, rather than police,
especially if younger
 Depression may last up to 1 year, especially if prior
psychological problems, victimization, or a tendency
to self-blame; may lead to suicide
 If she knew her attacker she experiences more
depression & guilt and loses some self-confidence
 If the attacker was a stranger, she experiences more
anxiety, fear, & startle responses
 Physical symptoms can include soreness, bruises,
vaginal itching, STI symptoms, eating problems, &
menstrual irregularities
RTS: Long-Term Reorganization
 Long-term reorganization (stage 2) – can
persist for several years
 Involves restoring order & regaining control
 Sexual difficulties can persist for years and
counseling can help
Fear of sex
Desire & arousal disorders
 Positive crisis intervention & supportive
others can decrease trauma symptoms
Silent Rape Reaction
 Some victims never discuss the rape with
others, they repress & deny it until they feel
stronger emotionally
 Will experience many of the same symptoms
of RTS
 Those who take longer to tell another person
usually suffers a longer recovery period
Marital Rape
 Marital rape is a crime in all states since 1993
 Legal definitions vary by state
 10-14% of married women are raped by their
husbands
 Victims report symptoms similar to nonmarital victims
 Often feel very betrayed & lose trust in others
 Often there is little social support
Rape of Women with Disabilities
 They are raped twice as often as women
without disabilities
 May be more vulnerable because they are
less able to fight back and lack sexual
knowledge
 Some may not realize their rights have been
violated
 RTS is typically longer in this population
How Partners React to Rape
 They often feel anger, frustration, feelings of
revenge, sense of loss, guilt, self-blame, &
jealousy
 Rape places a lot of stress on a relationship
 Couples are often reluctant to bring the topic
up, however, open communication is helpful
 A stable & supportive partner can help a
victim recover more quickly
When Men are Rape Victims
Rape of Men by Women
Rape of Men by Men
Prison Rape
When Men are Rape Victims
 5% of reported rapes are of male victims
 Male rape is more underreported than female
rape
 Men who are raped are often viewed more
negatively than women who have been raped
 Men experience symptoms similar to women
& they can be long-lasting
Rape of Men by Women
 Female rapists have used forced sex & verbal
coercion; most use psychological or
pressured contact
 Of male college students, 34% reported
coercive sexual contact:
24% from women
4% from men
6% from both
20% experienced strong negative
reactions
Rape of Men by Men
 1 out of 6 have unwanted sexual contact from
an adult by 16
 Most common sexual assault is anal
penetration, then oral penetration
 Getting the victim to ejaculate is important to
the attacker because it makes it less likely he
will report & it “proves” the victim “wanted it”
 May lead to questioning of sexual orientation
and increase in sex to reaffirm his manhood
Prison Rape
 Prison Rape Elimination Act (2003) – a
federal law with little tolerance for prison
sexual assault & required data collection
 18% of inmates report sexual threat
 8.5% report sexual assault
 More typical with male inmates, though
female inmates may be penetrated with a
variety of objects
Prison Rape
 Females are most often victimized by prison
staff
 Assaulted inmates may experience RTS and
posttraumatic stress disorder
 Inmates must continue to interact with their
assailants, which can increase the length of
RTS
 They also lack access to rape crisis centers
or sympathy from employees
Reporting, Avoiding, and
Treating Rapists
Reporting a Rape
Avoidance Strategies
Treating the Rapist
Reporting a Rape
 Estimates are that 1 in 7 rapes are reported
 More likely to report if it was by a stranger,
there was violence, & if there was a weapon
 Women are less likely to report if it doesn’t fit
the stereotypical rape scenario
 Men are less likely to report if their masculine
identity is at risk
 Those who report to the police have a better
adjustment
Process Associated with Reporting a Rape
 Tell the Police
 Press Charges
 Court Procedures
Telling the Police
 Campus police are often notified before local
police
 Campus police can issue fines or dismissal
 Local police can press charges
Alerts police of a crime
File formal reports needed for legal action
 Some rape victims have negative
experiences with the police & often go
through an interrogation of the situation
Pressing Charges
 Often the victim feels as if they are going
through a second rape because they are put
on trial more than the accused rapist
 Court takes a lot of time, energy, & anxiety
 Charges are pressed because of anger, to
protect others, or for justice
 Not pressing charges may be due to fear,
wanting to forget, pitying the rapist
 Civil lawsuits are easier to prove than criminal
Going to Court
 A victim may wish to sit in on another rape
trial to prepare
 The victim may also prepare for the possibility
of a not guilty verdict
Avoidance Strategies
 Rape is the only violent crime we expect
someone to fight back
 Proof of a struggle seems to produce
sympathy; some victims are frozen with fear
 A person should try to escape as first strategy
 If escape is not possible, try screaming,
dissuasive techniques, empathy, negotiation,
& stalling for time
 Safest strategy is to make yourself a person
Treating the Rapist
 Some therapies: shock treatment, support groups,
behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, & Depo-Provera
 Results for these methods are inconclusive
 First step in treatment is to accept responsibility for
their actions
 Also try to decrease rape myths & increase
knowledge
 Attitudes appear to change, but behavior changes
are not certain
 High risk rapists (repeat offenders) don’t seem to go
through treatment with much success
Sexual Abuse of Children
Incidence
Victims of Sexual Abuse
How Children are Affected
Characteristics of Abusers
Treating Sexual Abuse
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse of Children
 Child sexual abuse – sexual behavior that
occurs between a child and much older
person
 Behaviors are all illegal if the child is not old
enough or mature enough to consent
 Child sexual abuse – with nonrelatives
 Pedophilia – compulsive desire for a
particular age
 Incest – with relatives
Continued …
Sexual Abuse of Children
 Incest taboo is universal, due to the
vulnerable position of children in relation to
their parents; incest definitions vary by culture
 Many types of incest
 In the U.S., offenders are usually uncles and
male first cousins
 Sibling incest & sex games also occur
 Most incestual abusers are male
Incidence
 Accurate statistics are difficult
 Estimated 25% of girls and 10% of boys are
sexually abused as a child
 False child abuse reports occur in less than
10% of cases
Victims of Sexual Abuse
 Median age for boys & girls is 8 or 9
 40% of abused boys & 21% of abused girls
are abused by strangers
 29% of abused girls & 11% of abused boys
are abused by family members
 Reports of male sexual abuse may be lower
than females because boys feel they must be
self-reliant, they should be able to handle it, &
there is a homosexuality stigma
Continued …
Victims of Sexual Abuse
 Abuse reactions vary: fear, shame, self-blame
 May seek help to protect younger siblings
 Younger victims go to a relative for help
 Older victims may run away or marry early
 Incest with biological father creates the
longest delay in reporting
 Incest with stepfathers or live-in partners
report the most quickly
How Children are Affected
 Conflicting findings
 Some report little traumatization
 Some state there are long-lasting effects that
may lead to other psychological problems
 Trauma is more severe if the abuse was for a
long time by a trusted person, penetration
occurred, there was aggression, and it was
not handled well in the family
Psychological and Emotional
Reactions
 Sexual abuse can cause feelings of betrayal,
powerlessness, shame, guilt, fear, anger, selfblame, frustration, low self-esteem, &
intimacy problems
 Psychological problems can include anxiety,
depression, nervousness, emotional
problems, dissociative disorder, posttraumatic
stress syndrome, and personality disorders
 They are more likely to commit suicide
Long-Term Effects
 Traumatic sexualization
Childhood: compulsive sex play or
masturbation; much sexual knowledge
Teens: promiscuity & frequent sex acts
Adulthood: sexual abuse of others
 Eating disorders, drug/alcohol abuse,
prostitution
 Learned sex is how they get attention from
adults; “bad” is incorporated into their self
Characteristics of Abusers
 Poor social skills, lower IQs, unhappy family
life, lower self-esteem, less happiness in life
 Most are heterosexual males with strict
religious codes
 Often they deny responsibility & claim they
were in a trance
 They are very good with manipulation &
blaming the victim for the abuse
 The Development of a Sexual Abuser
The Development of a Sexual Abuser
 3 prominent theories:
 Learning – sexually abused as a child;
learned from others how to show affection to
children
 Gender – males are not taught how to
express affection without sexuality; socialized
to be attracted to smaller mates
 Biological – elevated levels of hormones (not
testosterone); neurological differences
Helping the Victims Heal
 Most effective treatments combine cognitive
& behavioral psychotherapies that help the
victim understand & handle the trauma
 Partners of victims can also benefit from
counseling
Treating Abusers
 Treatment of sexual abusers is similar to that
of pedophiles
 Main goal: decrease arousal to children
 Other goals: better adult relations,
assertiveness training, empathy & respect,
sexual education
 May use behavioral therapy, drugs, or
psychotherapy
 High recidivism rates
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
 “Just say no” campaign – teaches children
how to say no
 Increase the availability to sex education
 Better funding & staffing of child welfare
agencies
Intimate Partner Violence
Defining Intimate Partner Violence and
Coercion
Preventing Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
 Also called domestic violence
 29% of women & 22% of men experienced
intimate partner violence in their lifetime
 Psychological symptoms: depression, anxiety,
low self-esteem, antisocial behavior, fear of
intimacy
 Physical symptoms: headaches, back pain,
broken bones, stomach problems,
gynecological disorders
Defining Intimate Partner Violence and
Coercion
 It is the use of threats, harassment, or
intimidation that may include physical,
emotional, and/or sexual abuse
 Usually there is a pattern of abuse, not just
one incident
 Many victims believe the problems are their
fault & that it is safer in the relationship
 Finances, low self-esteem, fear, & isolation
can make it difficult for a woman to leave
Preventing Intimate Partner Violence
 Related factors: history of partner violence in
the offender’s family, excessive alcohol use
 Educational programs & safe housing can
help victims
Sexual Harassment
Incidence and Reporting of
Harassment
Preventing Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment
 Sexual pressure imposed on someone who is
not in a position to refuse it
 Broad term that includes jokes, unwanted
sexual advances, a “friendly” pat, “accidental”
touches
 Many people are confused about what it all
entails
 Can create psychological side effects similar
to rape & sexual assault; also, suicide
Incidence and Reporting of
Harassment
 25-30% of college students report
experiencing sexual harassment
 Typically sexist jokes, comments, or touching
 The majority do not report it, though it is
prohibited by federal law
 Women are 9 times more likely to quit a job, 5
times more likely to transfer, & 3 times more
likely to lose their job due to sexual
harassment
Continued …
Incidence and Reporting of
Harassment
 Sexual harassment can happen to men, as
well as women
 Sexual harassment creates a hostile &
intimidating environment
 Assertiveness (tell others or the offender) is
the most effective strategy to deal with it
 Gender differences exist in interpretation
Men may view something as flattering that
women view as threatening
Preventing Sexual Harassment
 First step – acknowledge the problem
 Organizations and institutions should have
established and strong policies to deal with
sexual harassment
 Education to help men adjust is necessary as
more women are entering the workforce