Predicting Coercive Sexual Behavior Across the Lifespan in a Random Sample of Canadian Men

Abstract

In order to end or at least reduce the amount of sexual violence in our society, it is necessary to identify the factors that play a part in men's sexual aggression against women they know. One hundred and ninety-five men ranging in age from 19 to 82 were randomly sampled from enumeration records of a small Canadian city and completed questionnaires. Overall, 73 percent of men reported never having been sexually coercive. Logistic regression analysis, using a dichotomous coercion criterion, established that childhood abuse, adolescent promiscuity, and restrictive emotionality all increased the likelihood of sexual coercion. Early sexual socialization and aspects of the male role related to emotional expressivity appear to be important in the development of coercive behavior. As such, prevention programs must be aimed at earlier interventions in families, communities, and schools.

Nudity as a Disinhibiting Cue in a Date Rape Analogue

“…Sexually aggressive men hold dominating and hostile attitudes toward women, exhibit angry dispositions, and are generally more accepting of both sexual and nonsexual violence against women (Abbey et al, 1998;Abbey & McAuslan, 2004;Bernat, Calhoun, & Adams, 1999;Bernat, Wilson, & Calhoun, 1999;Kanin, 1967Kanin, , 1985Koss & Dinero, 1989;Malamuth et al, 1991Malamuth et al, , 1995Senn, Desmarais, Verberg, & Wood, 2000).…”

“…Calloused and adversarial sexual beliefs are strongly correlated with past and future proclivity for sexually aggressive behaviour, as are accepting attitudes of rape myths, hypermasculinity, and general antisocial tendencies Bernat, Wilson et al, 1999;Koss & Dinero, 1989;Malamuth, 1989aMalamuth, , 1989bMarx & Gross, 1995;Muehlenhard & Linton, 1987;Senn et al, 2000). Dean and Malamuth (1997) posited that sexual aggressors lack empathy, while Abbey and…”

“…Specifically, sexually aggressive men are more likely than others to come from a low socio-economic background and to have experienced a violent home environment in childhood (Bernat, Calhoun, & Stolp, 1998;Malamuth et al, 1991Malamuth et al, , 1995Senn et al, 2000;White & Koss, 1993). This finding is especially true for those children who experienced first-or second-hand physical and/or sexual abuse (i.e., experienced abuse themselves or witnessed the abuse of a sibling or a parent; Senn et al, 2000). Adolescent delinquency and early experience with consensual sex are also strong correlates of later sexual aggression (Abbey & McAuslan, 2004;Calhoun et al, 1997;Malamuth et al, 1991Malamuth et al, , 1995Senn et al, 2000).…”

“…This finding is especially true for those children who experienced first-or second-hand physical and/or sexual abuse (i.e., experienced abuse themselves or witnessed the abuse of a sibling or a parent; Senn et al, 2000). Adolescent delinquency and early experience with consensual sex are also strong correlates of later sexual aggression (Abbey & McAuslan, 2004;Calhoun et al, 1997;Malamuth et al, 1991Malamuth et al, , 1995Senn et al, 2000).…”

“…Sexually aggressive men engage in consensual sex at an earlier age in life, date more often, and have more consensual sexual partners within their lifetime compared to sexually nonaggressive men (Abbey et al, 1998;Abbey & McAuslan, 2004;Bernat, Wilson et al, 1999;Kanin, 1967Kanin, , 1985Koss & Dinero, 1989;Lalumière, Chalmers, Quinsey, & Seto, 1996, Malamuth et al, 1991, 1995Senn et al, 2000). Sexually aggressive men also report wanting sex more frequently than their nonaggressive counterparts and indicate a preference for impersonal sex (Byers & Lewis, 1988;Kanin, 1967Kanin, , 1985Lalumière & Quinsey, 1996;Malamuth et al, 1995).…”