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Perceived Credibility Of Allegations Of Sexual Assault Across Victim Race And Mental Health History, Liyah C. Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research examined the effect of victim gender and rape myth acceptance (RMA) on perceptions of victim credibility; however, little attention has been given to the impact of victim race and mental health history, and even fewer studies have explored the intersection of these two identities. The primary purpose of the current study was to identify factors affecting understanding of perceived credibility of victims of sexual assault, specifically in terms of victim race and mental health history. The study also examined the role of RMA on perceptions of credibility and explored participant attitudes related to color-blind racial attitudes and mental …

"He Is Not A Monster": Himpathy And Sexual Assault, Christabel L. Rogalin, Saige M. Addison

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Himpathy occurs when privileged men accused of sexual assault or harassment receive extra attention and sympathy (Manne 2018, 2020). While himpathy is closely associated with the #MeToo movement, little research has explicitly explored this concept. In this review, we explore the literatures on rape myths, victim blaming and attributions, detailing the empirical work that provides support for the theoretical claims of himpathy. Sexual violence is a widespread problem, and as such, it is important to understand himpathy may underlie how the numerous (male) perpetrators of these crimes are able to reframe the allegations against them.

Predictors Of Sexual Victimization Among Autistic And Non-Autistic College Students, Natalie Libster, Connie Kasari, Alexandra Sturm

Psychological Science Faculty Works

Purpose. This study examined predictors of sexual victimization among autistic and non-autistic college students. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether autistic students are more likely than non-autistic students to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault, controlling for co-occurring diagnoses. We also aimed to determine whether students with other disabilities, specifically ADHD, learning disability (LD), and psychological disorders, are more likely than students without these disabilities to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault. Methods. Autistic students (n=270) and non-autistic students (n=270) who had participated in a nationwide survey were matched on demographic characteristics and co-occurring diagnoses. Logistic regression analyses …

Examining Predictors Of Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth Among Sexual Assault Service Providers In Rape Crisis Centers, Anna Wegrzyn

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Rape crisis centers (RCCs) rely on counselors and victim advocates to provide support to survivors of sexual assault via crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, case management, and referrals. As a result of their direct service work, sexual assault service providers are frequently exposed to vicarious trauma. This may inhibit both service provision and provider well-being. Not all impacts of engaging in trauma work are negative, however; positive benefits have also been documented from engaging in trauma work. One such benefit is vicarious posttraumatic growth, which is understood as the positive psychological transformation undergone by trauma workers as a result of their …

Training On Law Enforcement's Response To Interpersonal Violence, Genna Hilt

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

The current study examines how police officers in various settings perceive interpersonal violence response training as well as how they respond to vignettes detailing hypothetical scenarios of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. A common criticism of experience with police following a traumatic occurrence of sexual or interpersonal violence is inappropriate attitude and conduct on behalf of law enforcement agents. Trauma and victim centered training may improve police responding within this field; however, the training received is variable (Campbell et al., 2019; Kinney et al., 2007). In this study, ten participants answered interview or survey items detailing the extent of …

Effects Of Perpetrator And Victim Gender, Rape Myths, And Report Timing On Blame Attributions Following Sexual Assault, Katherine E. Kennon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research examined the effects of victim gender, perpetrator gender, and rape myth acceptance on victim blaming attribution; however, fewer studies explore victim and perpetrator gender at the same time, and even fewer studies examined the relevance of factors like timing of reporting (immediate or delayed) or rurality. The primary purpose of the study, therefore, was to explore the effect of victim gender, perpetrator gender, and report timing (same day vs. six months later) on victim blaming attributions. The study also examined the role of rape myth acceptance on victim blame and compared levels of rape myth acceptance across participant …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Secondary Victimization And Resiliency Following Sexual Assault, Elena Cantorna

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Many individuals report negative experiences with the court system after experiencing a sexual assault (i.e., secondary victimization) and this leads to a belief that they are unable to cope with future stressors (i.e., resiliency). Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted individual’s lives and their overall well-being. In this dissertation, I examined a model predicting resiliency appraisals from positive experiences with the legal system, mediated by COVID-19 weekly metric case rate and the number of COVID-19 vaccines administered. Participants were 18 years and older, self-identified cis females, and were clients of a local legal advocacy clinic (N = 94) following …

Crime Scene Behaviors Of Sexual Murderers With And Without A Criminal History Of Sexual Assault, Tirza Z. Ben Ari

Student Theses

This exploratory study is intended to serve as a gateway to future research about the differences between sexual murderers with (HSAO) and without (N-HSAO) a recorded criminal history of sexual assault, on which there is little to no comparative literature. This study aims to extend our understanding of these groups by comparing their crime scene (and crime-related) behaviors and exploring their underlying psychological functioning. The results suggest that N-HSAO have a significantly higher tendency to murder friends or strangers, initially attack or abduct their victims from the victim’s residence, use more than one killing method in the murder, attack their …

Sexual Activity Between Victims And Perpetrators Following A Sexual Assault: A Systematic Literature Review And Critical Feminist Analysis, Katie M. Edwards, Christina M. Dardis

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Rarely are perpetrators found guilty of sexual assault when the victim engaged in sex with the perpetrator following the sexual assault. Although the recent trial of Harvey Weinstein is an exception, the fact that his accusers engaged in consensual sex with him following the alleged assaults ignited debate that garnered international attention. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review to (1) document the extent to which victims engage in sex with the perpetrator following a sexual assault and (2) examine theoretical explanations for this phenomenon. Five peer-reviewed journal articles published between 1988 and 2016 were identified. …

Prediction Of Bystander Intervention Behavior In A Sexual Assault Situation: The Role Of Religiosity, Empathy, And Gratitude, John D. Foubert, Mwarumba Mwavita, Kelva Hunger, Wei-Kang Kao, Pam Pittman-Adkins

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Bystander intervention in potential sexual assault situations is a common method of helping to address sexual violence on college campuses. Although numerous variables have been shown to mediate bystander intervention behavior, the pool of potential correlates is limited. The present study used regression analysis to determine the relationship between bystander behavior and three predictors: religiosity, gratitude, and victim empathy. Consistent with prior research, both religiosity and gratitude significantly predicted bystander behavior. Contrary to prior research, the relationship between victim empathy and bystander behavior was negative. Findings are discussed relating to potential bystander intervention programs, and future research, particularly on gratitude, …

Reporting Sexual Revictimization: The Decision-Making Process For Victims With Prior Reporting Experience, Jessica Paige Frye Holcomb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is widely known that sexual assault is a pervasive global health issue. Victims of sexual assault face a greater risk of later being sexually revictimized. Despite its prevalence, sexual assault is the most underreported of violent crimes. Existing research has explored rates of formal and informal sexual assault disclosure, barriers, and motivators to report as well as survivor experiences withing the criminal justice process. However, the deciding factors for sexual assault victims in reporting revictimization or how any prior experience making a report may impact their decision to report subsequent assaults have not been studied previously. The purpose of …

The Role Of Coping Self-Efficacy, Coping Strategies, And Resiliency Following Sexual Assault, Lauren Hirsch

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem in the United States that effects people of all genders and sexualities. Due to fears of negative consequences, many victims of sexual assault do not legally prosecute the perpetrator. Those who do risk experiencing secondary victimization. The use of legal advocates during prosecution can help to guide individuals through the legal process and add a layer of social support that can minimize feelings of secondary victimization and help increase resilience in the victims. In this dissertation I examined a model predicting resilience from coping self-efficacy, mediated by four coping strategies. Participants were at least …

Sorority Women’S Perceptions Of Survivors’ Services And Justice On An Urban Campus, Andrea Giuffre, Elaine Gunnison

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

While researchers have attempted to estimate the prevalence of and identify risk factors for sexual assault, less is understood about the relationship among populations at high risk for sexual assault and their perceptions of survivors’ services organizations and justice. The purpose of this investigation is to contribute to existing research through exploratory qualitative analyses of 43 undergraduate sorority women’s perceptions of survivors’ services and justice on a large, urban campus in the Pacific Northwest in the United States. Results of these exploratory analyses revealed that the sorority women had preferences for informal confidants and services whom they could trust concerning …

An Experimental Test Of The Impact Of Varying Questionnaire Response Format On Prevalence Rates For Sexual Violence Victimization And Perpetration, Raeann E. Anderson, Kelly Cuccolo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: This study examined the impact of a dichotomous versus scaled response format on prevalence rates of sexual violence perpetration and victimization, thus conceptually replicating Hamby et al., 2006 and extending those findings to the context of sexual violence.

Methods: Two samples were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and were randomly assigned to either a dichotomous or scaled response format of the same questionnaire. Sample 1 was used to examine perpetration and received a perpetration specific version of the Post-Refusal Sexual Persistence Scale (PRSPS). Sample 2 was used to examine victimization and received a victimization specific version of the PRSPS. …

Raising Awareness And Empowering Diverse Survivors: Addressing Mental And Physical Health Needs Among Lgbtqia+ Community Members Post-Sexual Assault, Daniel W. Oesterle, Leah Giorgini, Christopher Eckhardt

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Experiences of sexual violence are commonplace among individuals within the LGBTQIA+ communities, with more than 63% of sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals experiencing victimization. Despite high rates of victimization, few individuals experiencing sexual assault seek services post-assault, with even fewer individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community accessing post-assault care. This is further exacerbated when considering the unmet treatment needs of sexual assault survivors and victims, where individuals commonly experience high rates of internalizing (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety) and externalizing (i.e., substance use/misuse) symptoms for years after experiencing an assault. Although these experiences occur at alarming rates on college …

The Role Of Alcohol Use, Drinking Context, And Alcohol Expectancies In Sexual Assault Perpetration Among College Men, Joseph D. Censor

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault is a major public health and criminal justice problem in our society. The high prevalence rate of sexual assault victimization and perpetration among college students is even more disturbing. Additionally, the prevalence of alcohol use among college students is higher than in the general population, and alcohol use is associated with more than half of sexual assaults. The goal of the present study was to gain a deeper understanding of the role of various alcohol related factors in sexual assault perpetration among college men. Specifically, this study assessed the association of perpetration with general problematic alcohol use, general …

The Association Between Community-Level Factors And Police Decisions To Found Sexual Assault Cases, Erin Elizabeth Hoffman

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Attrition rates in sexual assault cases remain high despite reforms over the past 30 years (Smith et al., 2018). Evidence suggests the locus of case attrition lies with police decision-making (Spohn & Tellis, 2019). Community-level factors may improve or bias police decisions in sexual assault cases; however, this has yet to be examined. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand community-level factors that predict police decisions to found a sexual assault case. Founding is the first decision officers make and determines whether a case will be investigated. This study used official available records of sexual assaults reported to …

Study Title-Based Framing Effects On Reports Of Sexual Violence Factors In College Students, Raeann E. Anderson, Emily M. Carstens Namie, Paige K. Michael, Douglas L. Delahanty

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: There are many methodological issues in studying sexual violence, including potential framing effects. Framing effects refer to how researchers communicate the purpose of a study to participants, such as, how the study is advertised or explained. The aim of the current study was to investigate if framing effects were associated with differences in participants’ self-reported experiences of sexual violence and related correlates.

Methods: College students (N = 782) were recruited to participate in one of four identical studies that differed in the title: “Questionnaires about Alcohol,” “Questionnaires about Crime,” “Questionnaires about Health,” or “Questionnaires about Sexual Assault.” Participants chose …

The Aftermath Of Sexual Assault: Creating The "I Am More Than My Experience" Workbook, Isabella Chung

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The following thesis includes a literature review of the immediate and long-term effects of sexual assault on victims in regards to their physical, mental, and emotional health and romantic relationships, followed by a proposed workbook for sexual assault victims/survivors. Being that typical responses immediately after an assault are fear, disbelief, and activation of the sympathetic nervous system, it is to no surprise that long term issues of depression, anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often arise as well. Thus, a workbook was created with the intention of educating readers about sexual assault and helping victims/survivors to heal from the trauma …

Bystander Intervention Among College Student Drinking Gamers : Sexual Assault Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, And Intent To Intervene, Rena L. Pazienza

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Heavy and problematic drinking and sexual assault warrant significant concern on U.S.college campuses. Emerging evidence suggests that the risk for sexual victimization is amplified in the context of high-risk drinking behavior—and despite recent attention to sexual assault (e.g., MeToo Movement), rates of perpetration remain largely unchanged. In applying the bystander intervention framework, our understanding of the relation between key factors that may facilitate or prevent behavioral action, or when and how these factors are most salient, is limited. The present study examined whether bystander attitudes and bystander self-efficacy predict bystander intent to intervene while accounting for prior intervention training exposure …

Examining Bystander Blame In Rape And Sexual Assault, Katherine E. Purdom

Honors Theses

The present study investigated the effect of various factors on blame distribution in sexual violence cases. Participants (N = 378) were randomly assigned to either a rape (N = 187) or sexual assault (N = 190) condition and directed to read a scenario that varied only by the terminology indicated by the condition. Participants were provided two pre-filled slots labeled as the perpetrator and victim. Additionally, they were given two blank “free-response” options in which participants could assign blame and indicate a responsible party if they found it necessary. Data was gathered from the male (N = 163) and female …

Valid For Who? A Preliminary Investigation Of The Validity Of Two Sexual Victimization Questionnaires In Men And Sexual Minorities, Raeann E. Anderson, Emily M. Carstens Namie, Erica Goodman

Psychology Faculty Publications

The #MeToo movement illuminated vast numbers of people who experienced sexual violence, but the exact scope and impact, especially among under-studied populations (e.g., men and sexual minorities) is unclear, due in part to measurement issues. Our objective was to compare the validity of two measures of sexual violence victimization: The Sexual Experiences Survey – Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV) and The Post-Refusal Sexual Persistence Scale – Victimization (PRSPS-V). Participants were 673 college students who first completed the Rape Empathy for Victims (REM-V) and then the SES-SFV and PRSPS-V (counter-balanced). We found strong evidence of convergent validity for the PRSPS-V with correlations …

An Initial Test Of The Tactic-First And Item-Order Hypotheses: Accounting For Response Discrepancies In Sexual Victimization Questionnaires, Raeann E. Anderson, Erica L. Goodman, Alyssa M. Ciampaglia

Psychology Faculty Publications

Reported prevalence rates of sexual violence range widely in the literature, even in the same sample when using two different questionnaires of the same construct. These discrepancies are concerning as they indicate we may be underestimating the rate of sexual violence and, therefore, resources and treatment for victims. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate two mechanisms that may contribute to differences in reported prevalence rates across the literature and discrepancies within studies: the tactic-first and item-order hypotheses. Participants were 265 MTurk workers whom all completed the Post-Refusal Sexual Persistence Scale (PRSPS), then were randomly assigned to one of two …

Relationship Between Religious Beliefs And Systems, Educational Levels, And Victim Blaming, Frances Runyon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual assault and victim blaming are a severe problem. Being sexually assaulted increases the risk of physical and mental health issues for the victims. When the victims are blamed for being sexually assaulted, their physical and mental health issues increase substantially. Many victims do not seek help or support services because of the fear of being blamed. People believe in a just world, and blame the victims because it is more difficult to accept that bad things happen to good people. When people admit that bad things can happen to good people, they acknowledge that these things can happen to …

Examining The Factors That Mediate The Relationship From Legal Advocacy Satisfaction To Resilience, Desta T. Gebregiorgis

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Sexual assault is a public health issue that can impact one’s resilience. Using a multisystemic approach to resilience, there may be person-level and environment-level factors that can affect one’s resilience, such as one’s coping self-efficacy, satisfaction with the court process, and negative effects associated with court process. Legal advocacy programs, such as those offered by the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC), support clients during the court proceedings. In order to better serve KCSARC’s clientele, it is helpful to understand how the legal advocacy program impacts post-trauma resilience. This dissertation had three phases: (a) evaluating the structural validity of …

Emotional Responses To A Sexual Assault Threat: A Qualitative Analysis Among Women With Histories Of Sexual Victimization, Kristin E. Silver, Raeann E. Anderson, Amanda M. Brouwer

Psychology Faculty Publications

Sexual assaults against women are a leading threat to human rights and public health in the United States. Considering the high rates of sexual revictimization among women and the limited understanding of the mechanisms which fuel this phenomenon, the goal of the present study was to investigate the role of emotion in coping with a hypothetical threat of sexual assault for previously sexually victimized college women. A total of 114 college women with a history of sexual victimization listened to an audio-recording describing a sexual assault scenario and then described how they felt. A qualitative analysis paradigm was used to …

Students’ Perceptions Of Justice: Application Of Sanctions, Guilt, And Responsibility In Campus Sexual Assault Cases, Diane R. Follingstad, Caihong R. Li, Jaspreet K. Chahal, Claire M. Renzetti

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Despite growing attention to adjudication of campus sexual assault cases, little is known how students perceive “justice” for such cases. The present study examined whether victim, perpetrator, and assault characteristics influenced students’ perceptions of: whether a sanctionable violation occurred; the type of sanction to be applied; perceived severity of the sanction; proportion of guilt attributable to the victim and perpetrator; and level of responsibility of the victim and perpetrator. Fourteen factors pertaining to potential negative evaluation of rape victims were derived; thus, a non-factorial vignette survey design focusing only on each main effect was employed. 846 college students responded to …

Certainty Versus Suspicion: Incapacitated Sexual Assault On Campus, Amanda Ellen Quade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One in four women experience sexual assault during college. With rates of sexual assault on college campuses continuing to increase, the need for advanced analysis utilizing contemporary variables is justified. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare two groups of female college-attending students. One group was certain and the other suspected that they were sexually assaulted while incapacitated (independent variables). Dependent variables compared between groups were offender type (interest on offenders with fraternal affiliations), law enforcement reporting decisions, and barriers to reporting sexual assault. Four research questions measured whether there was a statistically significant difference amongst the dependent …

The Impact Of Defendant Gender And Attractiveness On Juror Decision-Making In A Sexual Offense Case, Georgia M. Winters

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In recent years, instances of educator sexual assault against students have flooded the media. In particular, female teachers who abused students have seized the public’s attention as they are often portrayed as attractive and a sexual fantasy. This portrayal can then impact the way society perceives these sexual assaults. Importantly, however, it is not known whether this perception influences the prosecution and sentencing of these cases. The current study examined the impact of gender and attractiveness of a teacher, as well as gender of the student victim, on juror decision-making in a teacher/student sexual assault case. Using a 2 (Teacher …

Sexual Assault And Health: Understanding The Interplay Of Trauma-Related Appraisals And Physical Health Outcomes, Kerry Lyn Gagnon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women who have been sexually assaulted are at risk for negative mental and physical health outcomes; however, limited research has tested how psychological responses to sexual assault may influence physical health. The present study tested a longitudinal model examining the association between posttrauma appraisals and physical health problems. Drawn from a larger study, the sample included 156 ethnically diverse women who had been sexually assaulted within the last year. The study used cross-lagged panel models to test for reciprocal relationships between posttrauma appraisals and physical health problems over time. A secondary aim of the study was to test whether other …