Women’s Behavioral Responses to the Threat of a Hypothetical Date Rape Stimulus: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

One in four college women experience sexual assault on campus; yet, campuses rarely provide the in-depth self-defense programs needed to reduce sexual assault risk. Further, little is known about the range of possible behaviors elicited by sexual assault threat stimuli besides assertion. To fill this gap, the aim of the current study was to explore qualitative themes in women's intended behavioral responses to a hypothetical sexual assault threat, date rape, by using a laboratory-controlled threat. College women (N = 139) were randomly assigned to one of four different levels of sexual assault threat presented via an audio-recorded vignette. Participants articulated how they would hypothetically respond to the experimentally assigned threat. Responses were blinded and analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research methodology. Six major themes emerged: assertion, compliance/acceptance, conditional decision making, avoidance, expressions of discomfort, and allusion to future contact. Although almost all participants described assertion, a number of non-assertive responses were described that are not currently recognized in the literature. These non-assertive responses, including compliance/acceptance, conditional decision making, and avoidance, may represent unique behavioral response styles and likely reflect the complex psychological process of behavioral response to threat. The variety of themes found illustrates the great range of behavioral responses to threat. This broad range is not currently well represented or measured in the literature and better understanding of these responses can inform future interventions, advocacy efforts, and policies focused on sexual assault.

Post‐exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection in sexual assault victims

“…In spite of this, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one in six women are victims of rape during their lifetime and 35% of women experience some degree of physical or sexual violence . This has huge physical, psychological and social repercussions . Although SA occurs throughout the world, little information is available in most countries.…”

Testing a Model of How a Sexual Assault Resistance Education Program for Women Reduces Sexual Assaults

“…Women tend to match their force to the force being used against them (Tark & Kleck, 2014), so detailed study of the forms of direct resistance corresponding with particular instances of attempted rape may offer some clues to what works some or most of the time. Alternatively, or in addition, women may have engaged in other strategies to undermine risk factors that enhance perpetrators' advantages (e.g., isolation) that are not included in the direct resistance measure (e.g., called a friend to join them at the party when a guy who was in attendance made them feel uncomfortable; Anderson et al, 2016). Thus, our findings for attempted rape can be explained (at least in part) by components of the AAA model.…”

Predictors of Assertive and Nonassertive Styles of Self-Defense Behavior During a Lab-Based Sexual Assault Scenario

“…Additionally, although this study used the most comprehensive assessment of behavioral responses to threat available, qualitative research indicates that the range of BRTT is quite broad and likely not fully captured by the Behavioral Response Questionnaire (BRQ: Anderson, Brouwer, Wendorf, & Cahill, 2016;Masters, Norris, Stoner, & George, 2006), especially the construct of tonic immobility. Further, women also tend to engage in multiple response patterns in the same scenario; more research is needed to understand the sequence of behavior in BRTT and how they may be related to clinical constructs (Anderson et al, 2018).…”