Examines the impact of an all-male rape prevention program on fraternity men. After participating in "The Men's Program," fraternity men were asked if the program impacted their attitude or behavior and what led to that change. Results point to the importance of establishing empathy with rape survivors to increase men's awareness and sensitivity…

A study assessed prevalence of date violence and rape in 81,247 adolescents. Approximately 9% of girls and 6% of boys had experienced date violence or rape. Date violence and rape was associated with higher rates of disordered eating behaviors and suicidal thoughts and attempts, and lower emotional well-being and self-esteem. (Contains…

Study compares women college students who reported unwanted sexual experiences judged to constitute date rape with controls who reported no rape. Findings suggest that compared to controls, date-rape group had significantly higher scores on measures of overall childhood stress. Concludes that early forms of maltreatment (not specifically sexual)…

Investigates how African American male and female college students differ in their attitudes concerning rape. Two hundred and ten college students completed a 12-item questionnaire designed to measure their views toward this issue. Differences are discussed in the context of sexism and rape myths. Strategies for changing students' attitudes toward…

This article presents the descriptive results of a statewide evaluation of hotline, advocacy, and counseling services provided to sexual assault victims in Illinois. Collaborative efforts of a multidisciplinary research team and sexual assault service providers resulted in victim-sensitive evaluation measures and data that reflect, for the first…

A significant proportion of survivors of rape do not utilize formal services to cope with the aftermath of rape. Understanding victimization experiences in environments that differ on resources, such as rural versus urban areas, may be an important dimension to consider in understanding barriers. Thirty women (18 rural and 12 urban) were recruited…

Self-defense classes aim to prevent violence against women by strengthening women's capacity to defend themselves; however, little research has examined the effects of self-defense training on women's attempts to fight back during actual attacks. This study investigated the relationship of self-defense or assertiveness training and women's…

When armed police officers, with no warrant, confiscated and searched the computer from this author's state university office, she began to cross-examine her relationship to computers and to investigate professors' computer privacy at public universities. She had violated no university policy. She had simply received an anonymous e-mail (an e-mail…

When one mother was asked how often she worried about her child's safety, she replied, "Every time she goes out the door." Many parents rely on school abuse prevention programs to teach kids how to stay safe. But what if these programs actually increase the risk of sex crimes that target kids? What happens if parental efforts to safeguard kids…

Counseling survivors of sexual abuse requires acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the client's ego defenses while helping the client abandon those defenses which have become obstacles to leading a fulfilling life. Such defenses may also impede the therapeutic process, as survivors are less likely to trust other people. Clients can arrive at a…

Sexual harassment in schools is a public event, which means that there are witnesses, bystanders, and spectators to many of these occurrences. This paper argues that because sexual harassment is a public event, it is very damaging to its targets as well as bystanders by teaching others that schools are not safe or just. Schools may also serve as…

This is a guide for college and university program coordinators and planning committees on how to establish, expand, or improve a program on the prevention of acquaintance rape. Information is given for Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Deans on the relationship between acquaintance rape and alcohol, reasons for top administrators to become…

Cognitive appraisals are believed to influence how women judge or appraise risk in acquaintance interactions which lead to sexual assault. Ways in which men and women judge the presence of risk factors in scripted acquaintance rape scenarios, and whether alcohol was a significant factor in assessing risk, are examined in this paper. Participants…

Data suggest that acquaintance and date rape may account for 50-70 percent of all reported rapes in the United States. Recent findings also indicate that one in four college women have been raped or a victim of attempted rape. As most rape victims are between 15 and 24 years of age, high school-based education programs must be provided if society…

Those studying the distribution of urban services have generally concluded that services are distributed according to bureaucratic decision rules based on professional and bureaucratic norms such as need, efficiency, economy, equity, and convenience. Interest groups and elected officials may play a central role in effecting changes in bureaucratic…