Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Testing A Model Of How A Sexual Assault Resistance Education Program For Women Reduces Sexual Assaults, Charlene Y. Senn, Misha Eliasziw, Karen L. Hobden, Paula C. Barata, H. Lorraine Radtke, Wilfreda E. Thurston, Ian R. Newby-Clark

Psychology Publications

© The Author(s) 2020. The Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) program has been shown to reduce sexual assaults experienced by university students who identify as women. Prevention researchers emphasize testing theory-based mechanisms once positive outcomes related to effectiveness are established. We assessed the process by which EAAA’s positive outcomes are achieved in a sample of 857 first year university students. EAAA’s goals are to increase risk detection in social interactions, decrease obstacles to risk detection or resistance with known men, and increase women’s use of effective self-defense. We used chained multiple mediator modeling to assess the combined effects of the …

Secondary And 2-Year Outcomes Of A Sexual Assault Resistance Program For University Women, Charlene Y. Senn, Misha Eliasziw, Karen L. Hobden, Ian R. Newby-Clark, Paula C. Barata, Lorraine Radtke, Wilfreda E. Thurston

Psychology Publications

We report the secondary outcomes and longevity of efficacy from a randomized controlled trial that evaluated a novel sexual assault resistance program designed for first-year women university students. Participants (N = 893) were randomly assigned to receive the Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) program or a selection of brochures (control). Perception of personal risk, self-defense self-efficacy, and rape myth acceptance was assessed at baseline; 1-week postintervention; and 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month postrandomization. Risk detection was assessed at 1 week, 6 months, and 12 months. Sexual assault experience and knowledge of effective resistance strategies were assessed at all follow-ups. …

Rape And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd): Examining The Mediating Role Of Explicit Sex-Power Beliefs For Men Versus Women, Daniel J. Snipes, Jenna M. Calton, Brooke A. Green, Paul B. Perrin, Eric G. Benotsch

Psychology Publications

Many rape survivors exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and recent literature suggests survivors' beliefs about sex and control may affect PTSD symptoms. The present study examined beliefs about sex and power as potential mediators of the relationship between rape and PTSD symptoms for men versus women. Participants (N = 782) reported lifetime history of rape, current PTSD symptoms, and beliefs about sex and power. Women reported higher levels of lifetime history of rape than men (19.7% for women; 9.7% for men). While rape history predicted PTSD symptoms for both genders, beliefs about sex and power were shown to …

Sexual Violence In The Lives Of First-Year University Women In Canada: No Improvements In The 21st Century, Charlene Y. Senn, Misha Eliasziw, Paula C. Barata, Wilfreda E. Thurston, Ian R. Newby-Clark, Lorraine Radtke, Karen L. Hobden

Psychology Publications

Background: Summarizes the frequency, type, and context of sexual assault in a large sample of first-year university women at three Canadian universities. Methods: As part of a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a sexual assault resistance education program, baseline data were collected from women between ages of 17 and 24 using computerized surveys. Participants’ experience with sexual victimization since the age of 14 years was assessed using the Sexual Experiences Survey–Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV). Results: Among 899 first-year university women (mean age = 18.5 years), 58.7% (95% CI: 55.4%, 62.0%) had experienced one or more forms of victimization …

Sexual Assault Resistance Education For University Women: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial (Sare Trial), Charlene Y. Senn, Misha Eliasziw, Paula C. Barata, Wilfreda E. Thurston, Ian R. Newby-Clark, Lorraine H. Radtke, Karen L. Hobden, Sare Study Team

Psychology Publications

Background

More than one in six women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetimes, most by men they know. The situation on university campuses is even more startling, with as many as 1 in 4 female students being victims of rape or attempted rape. The associated physical and mental health effects are extensive and the social and economic costs are staggering. The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether a novel, small-group sexual assault resistance education program can reduce the incidence of sexual assault among university-attending women, when compared to current university practice of providing informational brochures. …