Ethnic differences in female sexual victimization

This study examined the link between ethnicity, early sexual victimization experiences and college sexual assault in a sample of 383 undergraduate women. One third of the sample (32.9%) had experienced some form of sexual assault during college (22% of whom reported that they had been raped), and 52% had experienced unwanted sexual activity before the age of 18 (17.5% of whom had reported that a family member or trusted family friend asked for or forced sexual activities). There were substanial differences among the Black, White, Hispanic and Asian women on two of four measures of college sexual assault. Black women had the highest and Asian women the lowest incidence of forced intercourse through verbal threats or pressure. Hispanic women had the highest and Black women the lowest incidence of attempted rape. Black and White women were almost three times as likely as Hispanic women to have had experiences that meet the legal definitions of frap, but do not consider themselves rape victims. There were significant differences in college victimization experiences as a result of experiencing incest before age 18, experiencing extrafamilial sexual abuse before age 18, and the use of alcohol. Ethnicity interacted with alcohol use and early experiences with extrafamilial sexual abuse. However, the effect of incest on college victimization was similar for the women in the study, regardless of ethnicity.
Author: 
Kalof,Linda
Notes: 
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Reprint Status: 
IN FILE
Start Page: 
75
End Page: 
97
Journal/Periodical Name: 
Sexuality Culture
Volume: 
4
Issue: 
4
Abstract: 
This study analyzed 383 undergraduate women's responses to a survey inquiring about their personal sexual victimization experiences. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between alcohol, ethnicity, childhood incest, and childhood sexual abuse from a non-family member on a woman's sexual victimization experiences while in college. The women's college sexual victimization experiences were then separated into four groups according to their most invasive experience; (a) sexual contact, (b) sexual coercion, (c) attempted rape, and (d) rape. The results from this study showed main effects for alcohol, ethnicity, childhood incest, and childhood sexual abuse from a non-family member. There were also significant differences between White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian women on two of the levels of victimization.
Topic Areas: 
Alcohol, College, Racial/Ethnic Differences
Reference Type: 
JOUR
Reference ID: 
1336
Publication Date: 
2000/11/01