Understanding Sexual Coercion: Rape, Sexual Harassment, and Child Sexual Abuse - Prof. Can, Study notes of Psychology

Download Understanding Sexual Coercion: Rape, Sexual Harassment, and Child Sexual Abuse - Prof. Can and more Study notes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Sexual Coercion Rape & Sexual Harassment Topics * Rape — Date Rape — Rape in Relationships ¢ Sexual Harassment Definitions • Date rape • Gang rape More… • Partner rape • Rape by women Male Rape • Prevalence unknown • Most men who rape other men are heterosexual • Most, but not all, occur in prison settings • Male rape survivors may suffer effects similar to female survivors Incidence of Rape • Estimated 191,000 women sexually assaulted in 2004 • Crime statistics underreport the incidence of rape Characteristics of the Perpetrators • Most are young men who repeat the crime • They are neither oversexed nor deprived of consensual sex • Rapists may lack internal controls such as fear, guilt, sympathy More on Date/Acquaintance Rape • Rape by a date/acquaintance no less real than rape by a stranger – Only about 5% reported to police and nearly half never tell anyone Outcomes • Outcomes vary, just as people vary • Responses can include diagnoses of psychological disorders Reactions of others • Male partners often blame themselves for failing to protect loved-one • If partner and/or family members believe in rape myths, recovery especially difficult • Well-meaning friends and family may try to take care of the victim by making her decisions What Happens When a Report is Made • Most large cities have a rape victim advocate program • To maximize chance of successful prosecution, important for the victim to have a “rape kit” medical examination as soon as possible Preventing Rape • Elimination of rape will require changes in attitudes • Education can reduce the incidence • Suggestions for avoiding date rape What should you do if it happens?? • Confronting a rapist: Should you fight, flee, or plead? Rape, STIs, & Pregnancy • ≤1/3 of rape victims receive medical care • Pregnancies • STIs Responses to Harassment • Wide variety from passivity to confrontation/ reporting the behavior • Women who refuse may be targets for retaliation • Women who quit due to harassment may be ineligible for unemployment • Victims often feel helplessness, humiliation, shame, anger, lower self-esteem Sexual Coercion Child Sexual Abuse Issues in studying abuse • Inherent definitional issues • Correlation vs. causation • Stigma and reluctance to report • Varying outcomes – No specific criteria to “prove” – No specific set of outcomes Female Perpetrators • 25% of child abuse victims were abused by females – Females abuse 4 times as many boys as girls Adult Women & Teen Boys • Dozens of cases in recent years • The women are emotionally very needy, manipulative individuals who seek power and thrills • The boy victims often suffer similar outcomes as girls sexually abused by men Introduction and Stats • Identified cases in 2007: 56,500 children – National Center on Child Abuse & Neglect, 2007 • Despite this high number, researchers believe this is possibly an underestimate of actual incidence • Research estimates Outcomes • Some children are more resilient than others • Revictimization adds to emotional distress • About half never tell their parents or other adults about the abuse • Self-blame is associated with more problems in adulthood Factors Related to Outcome • Personal Factors – Age – Gender – Developmental level – Attributional style/Attribution of blame – Treatment following CSA Factors Related to Outcome • Family Factors – Parental history of CSA – Parental mental health, distress, and coping – Family stress (relational and economic) • Abuse Specific Factors – Severity – Duration – Victim-perpetrator relationship Prevention & Treatment • Prevention • Treatment Child Pornography • Downloading child porn had become a relatively common practice by the mid 1990s • 1982 • Anyone who participates in child pornography in any way can be prosecuted