Prospective Effects of Method of Coercion in Sexual Victimization Across the First College Year

Abstract

Women who enter college with a sexual victimization (SV) history may be at particular risk for deleterious outcomes including maladaptive alcohol involve posttraumatic stress, and re-victimization. Further, pre-college SV may be an impediment for the achievement of academic mile and may negatively impact the transition into college. Recent work shows that the method of coercion used in SV may be an important predictor of post-victimization outcomes. As such, the identification of pathways between type of SV and outcomes can aid in early identification and intervention for those at highest risk. In a sample of newly-matriculated female college students, this study examined unique outcomes associated with two specific types of SV, (1) threats/use of physical force (Force SV) or (2) incapacitation (Incap SV). Participants completed assessments of SV, alcohol involvement, posttraumatic stress, and academic outcomes at 6 time-points over their first year of college. Results showed differential outcomes based on pre-matriculation exposure to Force SV or Incap SV. Women with Incap SV were higher on problem drinking indices whereas women with Force SV were at greater risk for re-victimization and marginally more PTSD symptoms. Having a history of either type of SV predicted attrition, but there were no differences when comparing Force SV to Incap SV. Overall, results from this study support the utility of delineating SV experiences by method of coercion, and point to the potential of highlighting different outcomes in tailored intervention programs.

Beyond the Force–Substance Dichotomy: Examining the Experience of Combined and Incapacitated Type Rapes and Their Relation to PTSD Symptoms

“…In recent years, researchers and legal statutes alike have expanded the definition of rape and sexual assault to include cases in which alcohol or drugs, ingested either voluntarily or involuntarily, prevent the victim from providing consent. Due to the field's growing recognition of the existence of substance-involved rape, a methodological trend in recent studies has been to classify rape experiences as either forcible or substance-involved and to examine whether the two types of rape experiences differ on assault characteristics and consequences that are known to predict PTSD, as well as the risk for PTSD and the severity of reported PTSD symptoms (Griffin & Read, 2012;Krebs, Lindquist, Warner, Fisher, & Martin, 2009;Lawyer, Resnick, Bakanic, Burkett, & Kilpatrick, 2010;Mohler-Kuo, Dowdall, Koss, & Weschler, 2004;Ullman & Najdowski, 2010). These substance-involved experiences have been referred to in the literature by a number of names, including drug/alcohol-facilitated rape, drug/alcohol-involved rape, impaired rape, and incapacitated rape.…”

“…One way is to create non-mutually exclusive groups (i.e., rapes characterized by both force and substance-involvement are placed in both the forcible and substance-involved groups; Walsh et al, 2013;Zinzow et al, 2010). A second, more common method largely disregards the overlap, treating them in a mutually exclusive or dichotomous manner (i.e., rapes are classified as either forcible or substance-involved, based on a researcherdefined coding hierarchy; Griffin & Read, 2012;Krebs et al, 2009;Lawyer et al, 2010;Mohler-Kuo et al, 2004;Ullman & Najdowski, 2010). While efficient and parsimonious methods, it is possible that these approaches do not adequately capture the heterogeneous nature of substanceinvolved rapes.…”

Potentially Perilous Pedagogies: Teaching Trauma Is Not the Same as Trauma-Informed Teaching

“…College women with a sexual victimization history are at higher risk for revictimization (Griffin & Read, 2012), and violence on campus (e.g., rape or assault) increases student risk of developing PTSD (Borsari, Read, & Campbell, 2008). In addition, up to 79% of college students may be exposed to at least one experience of psychological abuse, 31% to at least one incident of physical abuse, and 36% to at least one incident of sexual abuse in an intimate relationship (Avant, Swopes, Davis, & Elhai, 2011).…”

Violence Victimization on a College Campus

“…Amar and Gennaro (2005), for example, found that victims of sexual and physical violence had significantly higher scores on depression, anxiety, somatization, and interpersonal sensitivity than nonvictims. The health and mental health risks of physical and sexual violence may be especially salient concerns for first-year college students who have many challenges in making adjustments to college life (Griffin & Read, 2012;Huerta, Cortina, Pang, Torges, & Magley, 2006).…”