1.
Power and Sexual Coercion
Chapter 17

2.
17 Rape and Sexual Assault
> The U.S. Department of Justice defines rape as
forced sexual intercourse that can include
psychological and physiological coercion.
> Sexual assault is defined as any type of sexual
contact or behavior that occurs without the consent
of the recipient of the unwanted sexual activity.

3.
17 Rape and Sexual Assault Statistics
> Estimates: 1 in 5 women (18.3%) and 1 in 71 men
(1.4%) in the United States have been raped at
some point in their lives
> In the majority of cases, the
victims know their assailants
> Rape and sexual assault are
among the most underreported
crimes in U.S.; only half of all
rapes are reported
> Reasons for not reporting
> Non-confidentiality, shame, or
humiliation

4.
17 Common Myths About Rape
> Because victims often know their assailants and may blame
themselves for being with them, these factors can make
them less comfortable reporting their attacks, especially if
they were using drugs or alcohol before the rape.

5.
17 The Typical Rapist
> Research has shown that rapists are primarily
male, single, are between the ages of 15 and 30,
have high levels of impulsivity and aggression,
sexist views about women, and high levels of rape
myth acceptance.
> Gender, ethnic and cultural differences about rape
do exist.

6.
17 Theories about Rape
> Rapist psychopathology: a disease model
> Men rape due to alcohol intoxication, mental illness or
uncontrollable sexual urges
> Disease or alcohol leads men to rape
> Victim precipitation theory: blaming the victim
> Victims make themselves vulnerable to rape by their
dress, behaviors or where they walk
> Men are more likely to believe this theory than women

7.
17 Theories about Rape (cont’d.)
> Feminist theory: keeping women in their place
> Rape and the threat of rape are used by society to keep
women in a position subordinate to men’s
> Sex-role stereotyping encourages rape
> Sociological theory: balance of power
> Rape is an expression of power differentials in society
> Evolutionary theory: product of evolution
> Males and females differ in their reproductive strategies

8.
Global Reported Rape and Convictions
Figure 17.3 Reported Rapes and Convictions in Select Countries.

9.
17 Alcohol and Rape
> On college campuses, alcohol use is one of the
strongest predictors of rape, with up to two-thirds of
all rape victims having voluntarily consumed
alcohol before an assault.
> When a woman experiences a
rape while drunk, she is more
likely to blame herself and often
will not label the attack as a rape
even when it clearly was.

10.
17 Fraternities and Rape
> Factors that contribute to coercive sexuality in
fraternities are the emphasis on masculinity,
inherent secrecy, and protection of the group, along
with greater acceptance of rape myths.
> Some fraternities have begun to
institute education programs and
invite guest speakers from rape
crisis centers to discuss the
problem of date rape.

11.
17 Athletes and Rape
> Participation in athletics has been found to be
associated with rape-supportive attitudes and, to a
lesser degree, sexually aggressive behavior.
> Research suggests that perhaps it is the sense of
privilege that contributes to a view of the world in
which rape is legitimized.

12.
17
Psychological and Emotional
Reactions
> Women who report being raped by strangers
experience more anxiety, fear, and startle
responses, whereas women who report being
raped by acquaintances usually report more
depression, guilt, and decreased self-confidence
> Rape trauma syndrome (RTS) is a two-
stage stress response pattern
characterized by physical, psychological,
behavioral, and/or sexual problems, and it
occurs after forced, non-consent sexual
activity

13.
17 Reaction to Rape
> Some victims never discuss the rape with anyone
and carry the burden of the assault alone, which
has been termed the silent rape reaction and has
many similarities with RTS
> Couples often avoid dealing with the rape entirely,
and even though dealing with a rape in a
relationship can be traumatic, it has been found
that women who have a stable and supportive
partner recover more quickly.

14.
17 Physical Effect of Rape
> Physical symptoms include general body soreness, bruises,
nausea, throat soreness, and difficulty swallowing (if there
was oral sex), genital itching or burning, and rectal bleeding
or pain (if there was anal sex).
> Older women are likely to be even more traumatized by
rape than younger women because many have
conservative attitudes about sexuality, have undergone
physical changes that can increase the severity of physical
injury, and they have less social support after a rape.

15.
17 Marital Rape
> As of 1993, marital rape is considered a crime in all
50 states; how it is treated in various states differs.
> It has been estimated that 10% to 14% of all
married women are raped by their husbands.
> There is often little social support for wives who are
raped, and those who stay with their husbands
often endure repeated attacks.

16.
17
Emotional Reactions and Sexual
Orientation
> Adult sexual assault is slightly higher in
lesbian and bisexual women compared to
heterosexual women.
> There may be more intense emotional
repercussions compared with heterosexual
women as lesbians may experience difficulty
assimilating the experience of rape into their
own self-image.

17.
17 Women with Disabilities
> Women with disabilities are assaulted, raped, and
abused at a rate two times greater than women
without disabilities.
> The impact of a rape may be intense for women
with mental disabilities because of a lack of
knowledge about sexuality, the loss of a sense of
trust, and the lack of knowledgeable staff who can
effectively work with these victims.

18.
17 Prostitutes and Rape
> Studies have found that between 68% and 70% of
female prostitutes have been victims of rape, and
are commonly raped or assaulted by their pimp.
> Because of the general disapproval of prostitution,
a prostitute who reports rape is often treated with
disdain, so believing and trusting her experience is
imperative.

19.
17 Men As Rape Victims
> In the U.S., it is estimated that 1 of every 33 men has been
a victim of a completed or attempted rape, and account for
8% of all noninstitutional rapes.
> Male victims are usually Black and are assaulted for the first
time before the age of 18.
> The belief that men cannot be raped by a woman serves to
make male rape more humiliating and painful for many
men.
> Many victims of male rape question their
sexual orientation and feel that the rape
makes them less of a “real man.”

20.
17 Prison Rapes
> In 2003, the Prison Rape Elimination Act went into effect
that reduces tolerance for prison sexual assault and
mandated the collection of national data on the incidence of
prison rape.
> Approximately 18% of prison inmates report sexual threats
from other prisoners, while 8.5% report sexual assaults in
prison.
> Prison rape of men has been found to be
an act of asserting one’s own masculinity
in an environment that rewards
dominance and power.

21.
17 Coping with Rape
> Rape is the only violent crime in which society
expects a person to fight back.
> Escape is the first strategy, followed by screaming,
dissuasive techniques, empathy, negotiation, or
stalling for time; however, these techniques may
cause more harm than good.
> Other experts assert that the safest strategy is to
attempt to talk to the attacker and try to make
yourself a real person to the attacker.

22.
17 Reporting of Rape
> Women are less likely to report if they know the
attacker, whereas men are less likely to report if it
jeopardizes their masculine self-identity.
> Women who report rape to the police have been
found to have a better adjustment and fewer
emotional symptoms than those who do not report.
The decision to press charges is difficult
because a victim often feels as if he or
she is on trial, court proceedings take up
a great deal of time, and they create
considerable anxiety

23.
17 Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)
> Child sexual abuse is defined as sexual behavior
that occurs between an adult and a minor, with the
dominant, powerful position of the adult or older
teen that allows him or her to force a child into
sexual activity as an important characteristic.
> Incest refers to sexual contact between a child or
adolescent who is related to the abuser, although
specific definitions for incest vary from state to
state.

24.
17 Sexual Abuse of Children – Incidence
> Accurate statistics are difficult to come by
> Reported incidences increasing over past 30 years
> Estimated 25% of girls and 10% of boys are
sexually abused as a child
> False child abuse reports occur in fewer than 10%
of cases

25.
17 Psychological Effects of CSA
> Children who hide their sexual abuse often experience
shame and guilt, and fear the loss of affection from family
and friends.
> Whether they tell someone about the abuse or not, many
victims experience psychological symptoms such as
depression, increased anxiety, nervousness, emotional
problems, low self-esteem, and personality and intimacy
disorders.
> When they enter adolescence they may
begin to show promiscuous and compulsive
sexual behavior, which may lead to sexually
abusing others in adulthood.

26.
17 Treatment
> Currently, the most effective treatments for victims
of sexual abuse include a combination of cognitive
and behavioral psychotherapies, which teach
victims how to understand and handle the trauma
of their sexual assaults more effectively.
> Being involved in a relationship
that is high in emotional intimacy
and low in expectations for sex is
beneficial.

27.
17 Prevention
> Teaching children to say “no” to inappropriate adult
advances is one educational campaign.
> Increasing the availability of sexuality education
has also been cited as a way to decrease the
incidence of child sexual abuse.
> Telling children that abuse is not typical and where
they can go to get assistance is important.

28.
17 Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
> Intimate partner violence (IPV), also known as
domestic violence, is found among all racial,
ethnic, and socioeconomic classes with close to 5
million reported victims each year.
> IPV is coercive behavior that uses of threats,
harassment, or intimidation that may include
physical, emotional, or sexual abuse

29.
17
Physical and Emotional Reactions
to IPV
> Common psychological symptoms may include
depression, antisocial behavior, increased anxiety,
low self-esteem, and a fear of intimacy; PTSD is
also common.
> Physical symptoms may include headaches, back
pain, broken bones, gynecological disorders, and
stomach problems.
> Battered women’s shelters
across the U.S. can provide
women with information and a
safe haven.

30.
17 Sexual Harassment
> Sexual harassment is a very broad term that
includes anything from jokes, unwanted sexual
advances, a “friendly” pat, and “accidental” brush
on a person’s body, an arm around a person or
even unwanted sexual attention online.
> Assertiveness is the most effective strategy, either
by telling someone about it or confronting the
offender.
> The first step in reducing the incidence of sexual
harassment is to acknowledge the problem.