Cross-sectional predictors of sexual assault perpetration in a community sample of single African American and Caucasian men

Abstract

Computer-assisted self-interviews were completed with a random sample of 163 unmarried Caucasian and African American men in a large metropolitan area. Almost a quarter (24.5%) of these men acknowledged committing an act since the age of 14 that met standard legal definitions of attempted or completed rape; an additional 39% had committed another type of sexual assault involving forced sexual contact or verbal coercion. An expanded version of the Malamuth et al.[1991] confluence model was examined using path analysis. The number of sexual assaults perpetrated by participants was associated with the direct or indirect effects of childhood sexual abuse, adolescent delinquency, alcohol problems, sexual dominance, positive attitudes about casual sexual relationships, and pressure from peers to engage in sexual relationships. Additionally, empathy buffered the relationship between sexual dominance and perpetration. The pattern of results was highly similar for African American and Caucasian men. The implications of these findings for sexual assault measurement are discussed and suggestions are made for alternative treatment programs.

Does Alcohol Contribute to the Confluence Model of Sexual Assault Perpetration?

“…In Wheeler et al (2002), 61% of male college student participants reported that they had perpetrated some form of sexual aggression. Abbey et al (2006) found that 64% of the men in a representative community sample of young adult men in one metropolitan area reported that they had perpetrated sexual assault. Perpetration and victimization rates vary depending on how the questions are asked, what types of questions are asked, and the mode of responding.…”

“…Another important construct to consider for future research is empathy. As described in the introduction, several researchers have found that empathy acts as a protective factor, interacting with impersonal sex and/or hostile masculinity to produce lower levels of sexual assault (Abbey et al, 2006;Dean & Malamuth, 1997;Wheeler et al, 2002). Furthermore, there may be other situational factors in addition to alcohol that are important to consider.…”

“…Other modifications of the model involve the addition of other variables such as frequency of pornography consumption and empathy (Malamuth, Addison, & Koss, 2000;Wheeler et al, 2002). Empathy has received considerable attention for its buffering effects (Abbey, Parkhill, BeShears, Clinton-Sherrod, & Zawacki, 2006;Dean & Malamuth, 1997;Wheeler et al, 2002). For example, Wheeler et al (2002) successfully replicated the confluence model in a sample of 209 male college students.…”

“…The first level at which alcohol potentially influences sexually assaultive behavior is the global, associational level. Many researchers have reported that perpetrators are more likely to drink heavily and to be problem drinkers than nonperpetrators (Abbey et al, 2006;Koss & Gaines, 1993;Ouimette, 1997). For example, Ouimette (1997) found that 53% of a large sample of undergraduate men who reported rape or attempted rape met the necessary criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence as compared to 25% of men who reported only consensual sexual experiences.…”

Child sexual abuse: Raising awareness and empathy is essential to promote new public health responses

“…30,31,[33][34][35] In this context, empathy requires a capacity and willingness to imagine the abused child's perceptions, needs, and trauma, and right to bodily inviolability, while avoiding the profound distress some have claimed decreases helping behaviour and produces self-preservation. 37 Empathy is known to be necessary to reduce sexual violence generally, 10,11 and against children in particular. 14,36,38 As a mechanism, empathy catalyzes behaviour appropriate to the needs of the person, and acts as a circuit-breaker on inappropriate impulses and harmful behaviour.…”