Assessed university students' attitudes toward rape and rape mythology and measured impact on these attitudes following exposure to acquaintance rape education program. Findings from 821 students revealed that women readily changed rape supportive attitudes, whereas men were resistant to date rape education program. Findings suggest need for new…

Surveyed New Zealand undergraduate students. Found that 51.6 percent of 347 women reported sexual victimization and 25.3 percent had either been raped or experienced attempted rape. Prevalence data are almost identical to those found using same instrument (Sexual Experiences Survey) in United States. New Zealand men reported perpetrating…

Compared effects of strategies for informing college students about date rape. Assigned students to either experimental group that viewed videotape on acquaintance rape (n=33), experimental group that read brochure on acquaintance rape (n=31), or control group (n=25). Findings revealed no significant difference between effects of videotape and…

Reviews literature on incidence and ramifications of acquaintance rape and discusses specific gender-related factors. Identifies four areas that require proactive college response: access and intrusion, nonnegligent hiring and training, alcohol and drugs, and awareness education. Concludes that effective response to acquaintance rape requires…

Evaluations of antiviolence education suggest that trying to change attitudes can cause a backlash. This study provides a knowledge-based intervention measuring knowledge of information presented, attitudes about date rape, and self-reported physical and sexual aggression involving peers. Results show that students who attended the intervention…

Seven female students in an outdoor-recreation program were interviewed to determine how fear of violence affects experienced female wilderness travelers. The themes that emerged were stereotypes about sexual assaults, situation and trip location, and alcohol consumption. The difference between real fear and false perceptions is discussed, along…

Assessed Spanish college students' attitudes about forced sex and actual experiences with male-against-female sexual aggression. Students analyzed a date rape story discussed their coercive sexual activities and help-seeking behaviors. Acceptance of forced sex significantly related to sex, age, and experience with sexual aggression. Only 39…

Discusses Margaret Atwood's "provocative and funny" short story "Rape Fantasies," and describes how, when teaching this story the author encourages students to sympathize with Estelle (the narrator) before they judge her (instead of rushing to achieve closure and begin interpretation). (SR)

Analyzes an existing longitudinal survey of adolescent mothers (N=315). Data from Time 1 were used to predict victimization reported in the year between Time 1 and Time 2. Explores factors that increased the likelihood of reported sexual victimization at Time 2 and factors that reduce the risk of victimization. Investigates risk factors for…

Women (N=3,213) were interviewed initially, and again a year later, concerning childhood rape history, lifetime symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and lifetime alcohol use. Analysis found a history of childhood rape doubled the number of alcohol-abuse symptoms that women experienced in adulthood, suggesting that PTSD symptomatology…

Examines reactions of 531 undergraduate men and women to scenarios depicting nonconsensual heterosexual intercourse involving varying levels of prior intimacy. Responses show women were most likely to find the scenarios unacceptable; gender differences increased with higher levels of prior intimacy between victim and offender. Knowing a rape…

Thirty-two adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse completed the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) and the Response to Childhood Incest Questionnaire. Respondents reported higher levels of both experienced and expressed anger than comparable STAXI norms. Discusses other findings. Research findings indicate the first empirical…

Evaluated the impact of a mandatory acquaintance rape education program for college freshmen. Surveys of participating and nonparticipating students immediately and several months following the program indicated a positive impact of participation on attitudes and judgements immediately following participation. Increases in knowledge were…

Investigated relationships between conflict tactics and coercive sexual behavior within relationships. College student surveys indicated that greater magnitudes of sexual coercion associated with higher levels of abusive conflict tactics and with psychological abuse within relationships. People engaging in psychological abuse were more likely to…

Recent research documents the problem of sexual violence across communities, often finding its causes to be embedded in community and cultural norms, thus demonstrating the need for community-focused solutions. In this article we synthesize research from community psychology on community change and prevention with more individually focused studies…