In American Colleges: Women Are More Often Exposted to Shame and Victimization Then Are Men - Coursework Example

Running Head: COLLEGE WOMEN VICTIMIZATION College Women Victimization of the of the College Women Victimization Introduction All forms of sexual aggression (SA), from threats to end a relationship if sex is not forthcoming to violent rape, are all too common experiences on college campuses. A wide range in the incidence of SA has been reported. (Muehlenhard & Linton, 2007) found that 77.6% of the college women in their study reported they had been involved in some form of sexual aggression, and of these, 14.7% had been involved in unwanted sexual intercourse. Bridgeland, Duane and Stewart (2005) found that 44% of the college women in their study had experienced non-intercourse SA and 25% reported SA that included unwanted intercourse. Because of this high level of sexual aggression on college campuses, researchers have attempted to determine whether risk factors can be identified which are associated with these behaviors so that a discussion of them can be included in rape/violence prevention programs. This research effort has led to the identification of risk factors that are associated with the likelihood that a woman may experience sexual aggression. These risk factors include: the length of time the persons have known each other (Bridgeland, Duane and Stewart (2005); power differentials in the relationship; substance use or abuse (Harrington and Leitenberg, 2004); location of the couple at the time the SA occurred; and mis-communication about sex or sexual expectations (Collings, 2004). While reviewing the SA literature, a statement from Muehlenhard and Lintons (2007) study served as the cornerstone for this study. These authors stated: Women who had experienced SA were higher than other women in the acceptance of violence toward women and adversarial sexual beliefs. Perhaps these women did not feel entitled to stop unwanted sexual advances. Alternatively, perhaps experiencing SA fostered the idea that female-male relationships are adversarial and that violence is to be expected. (p. 195) Research Questions Since there are few female-male relationships that are as adversarial and conflicted as that of a couple going through a divorce, we asked ourselves two questions: 1. Is a woman who had experienced the divorce of her parents was more likely to be the victim of sexual aggression than was woman who had not experienced the divorce of her parents? 2. When sexual victimization does occur, is a woman who has experienced the divorce of her parents more likely to report higher levels of victimization than a woman whose parents have not divorced? Literature Review Parental Divorce and Heterosexual Relationships The association between parental divorce and heterosexual attitudes and behaviors has been well documented. In 2002, Hetherington found that adolescent girls from divorced families had more problems in their heterosexual relationships than did girls from either intact or widowed families. And, these problems tended to center around poor communications with, and poor relating to, their male partners. Kelly (2001) concluded that fear of involvement and short term relationships were common among the children of divorce who had coped well with their parents divorce. Worse still was the finding that the least well adjusted often reported that they had both rushed into heterosexual activity and that they were incapable of making accurate judgments about the adequacy of those relationships. Divorce and Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors Billingham, Sauer and Pillion (1999) found that college students from divorced families had more permissive attitudes toward sexual behaviors and that they reported higher levels of sexual behaviors than did students from intact families. In addition, McLanahan and Bumpas (1998) found that children from divorced families were more likely to give birth before marriage, marry and have children early and have their own marriages breakup than were children from intact families. Parental Divorce and Relationship Violence Wallerstein and Blaskee (1999), in their 10 year longitudinal study of the effects of divorce on children, found that approximately one fourth of the children who had experienced the divorce of their parents had become part of an abusive relationship by their late teens or early adulthood. Billingham and Notebaert (2003) found that college students from divorced families reported a significantly higher personal use of violence in their dating relationships as well as reporting significantly higher verbal aggression and violence behavior on the part of their partners than did students from intact families. Hypotheses Because the literature on parental divorce and the associated increased risk for problems in heterosexual relationships is so clear, and because of the observation by Muehlenhard and Linton (2007) suggestion that women experiencing SA may view male-female relationships as adversarial, it seemed reasonable to us to question whether there was a link between parental divorce and being a victim of sexual aggression. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate whether or not a relationship exists between experiencing the divorce of ones parents and being the victim of sexual aggression. To this ends, the following hypotheses are going to be tested: 1: There will be no difference between women from divorced and intact families in theft likelihood of being sexually victimized; 2. There will be no difference in the level of victimization when those women from divorced families and intact families who have been victimized are compared. Methodology Research design Underlying the purpose and research question of the study conducted, the research method that is going to be selected is both experimental and non experimental. Participants The population of interest for this study includes selected female undergraduate students who are attending classes at different American colleges. It is projected that the sample will consist of 200 participants. For the purpose of study a form of non-probability sampling used. As explained by Trochim (2001), in purposive sampling, the researcher samples with a purpose in mind from one or more specific and predefined groups, believed to be representative of the larger population of interest. Trochim noted that one of the benefits of purposive sampling is that it can be very useful for situations in which the researcher wants to reach a targeted group that otherwise might not be readily available. Because we are interested in studying the experiences of "college aged" women, the data analyses will be limited to those women who will report that their age was between 17 and 23 inclusive. In addition, to eliminate both potential cultural differences and potential results based on a small number of respondents in any given cultural group; this study is limited to the responses provided by women who identified themselves as "White." Experimental Method For this study the field experiment will be conducted in a natural environment, the participants will be undergraduate female college students, and it will be observed that what are the problems that they are facing within the campus. After observation for a week a comprehensive report will be prepared regarding the problems that much occur, how the female students become a victim. Non Experimental Method Data Collection The survey method will be used as the means by which data is collecting within the study. Prior to initiating the data collection phase of the study, permission to conduct the survey, will be obtained from appropriate managerial people. Data collection will commence once approval granted. Questionnaires and the cover letter explaining the purpose of the survey and anonymity associated with participation in the survey will be distributed to participants and collected from them upon completion of the questionnaire. The data collection will involve gathering the information from questionnaires and then analyzing the results to find out what insight can be gained from them. Questionnaires will have questions related to their family history and their personal experiences with sexual victimization. Instrument Mosher and Andersons (2006) Aggressive Sexual Behavior Inventory will be used to ascertain the degree to which women reported that they experienced sexual aggression. This instrument consists of 20 behaviors which a male may have used in order to obtain sex from his partner. Examples of the behaviors listed on the inventory are: "I have threatened to leave or end a relationship if a woman wouldnt have sex with me," "I have gotten a woman drunk in order to have sex with her," and "I have forced a women to have sex with me and some of my pals." To each of these behaviors women were to respond using a Likert type scale which ranged from 1: Never, to 7: Extremely Frequently. While the original instrument was designed to measure mens sexual aggression against women, in the current study the questions will be modified to measure a womans report of the degree to which these behaviors had happened to her. Therefore, the behavior, "I have threatened to leave or end a relationship if a woman wouldnt have sex with me" will be changed to "I have had a man/woman threaten to leave or end a relationship with me if I wouldnt have sex with him/her." To each of these questions the students will be responding on a scale which ranged from 1: Never Happened to Me to 7: Frequently Happens to Me. Again, higher scores represent a higher degree of sexual victimization. Data Analysis In order to process and organize the quantitative data; a database will be created by using a computer data base software program, (i.e., SPSS). The questionnaire selected may have a scale response format, which will allow for a number to be assigned for which response given for each item. For each respondent, the numerical response provided for each item as well as descriptive data obtained during survey, then entered into the database during the data-coding phase of the study. Within the study following the recommendations of Torchim (2001) statistical analysis are conducted through a progression or series of analysis using the SPSS. During the initial phase descriptive statistics is use to describe and summarize the data obtain within the study. The second phase of analysis is focused on the use of multivariate analysis to determine the relationship between specific items. This is conducted through the use of cross tabulation of nominal data between selected variables in the study. The Chi-square statistics is used to examine the significant effect of one variable on another. Statistical significance is to be set at an alpha level of 0.05. Ethical Consideration Participants can be with draw any time if they want to quit. The results of the experiment will be kept confidential and researchers will use results with participants’ permission for research purposes. Participants should feel free to ask any question about the research and they will be provided with the outcome of the research. References Billingham, R. E., & Notebaert, N. L. (2003). Divorce and dating violence revisited: Multivariate analyses using Strauss Conflict Tactics subscores. Psychological Reports, 73, 679- 684. Billingham, R. E., Sauer, A. K., & Pillion, L. A. (1999). Family structure in childhood and sexual attitudes and behaviors during late adolescence. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, New Orleans, LA. Bridgeland, W. M., Duane, E. A.. & Stewart, C. S. (2005). Sexual victimization in undergraduates. College Student Journal, 29, 16-25 Collings, S. J. (2004). Sexual aggression: A discriminant analysis of predictors in a non-forensic sample. South African Journal of Psychology, 24, 35-38. Harrington, N. T, & Leitenberg, H. (2004). Relationship between alcohol consumption and victim behaviors immediately preceding sexual aggression by acquaintance. Violence and Victims, 9, 315-324. Hetherington, E. M. (2002). Effects of parental absence on the personality development in adolescent daughters. Developmental Psychology, 78, 313-326. Kelly, J. B. (2001). Observations on adolescent relationships five years after divorce. Adolescent Psychiatry, 9, 133-141. McLanahan, S., & Bumpas, L. (1998). Intergenerational consequences of family disruption. American Journal of Sociology, 94, 130-152. Mosher, D. L., & Anderson, R. D. (2006). Macho personality, sexual aggression, and reactions to guided imagery of realistic rape. Journal of Research in Personality. 20, 77-94. Muehlenhard, C. L., & Linton, M. A. (2007). Date rape and sexual aggression in dating situations: Incidence and risk factors. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 34, 186-196. Trochim, W. (2001). The research methods knowledge base, 1st edition. OH: Atomic Dog Publishing, 23-25. Wallerstein, J. S., & Blakeslee, S. (1999). Second chances. New York: Ticknor & Fields. Read More