Discriminant analysis of risk factors for sexual victimization among a national sample of college women.

Abstract

Examined the accuracy with which rape and lesser sexual assaults were predicted among a representative national sample of 2,723 college women. A total of 14 risk variables operationalized three vulnerability hypotheses: (a) vulnerability-creating traumatic experiences, (b) social-psychological vulnerability, and (c) vulnerability-enhancing situations. Each hypothesis was tested individually, and a composite model was developed via discriminant analysis. Only the traumatic experiences variables clearly improved over the base rates in identifying rape victims, but risk variables from each vulnerability hypothesis met criteria for inclusion in the composite model. A risk profile emerged that characterized only 10% of the women, but among them the risk of rape was twice the rate of women without the profile. The concept of traumatic sexualization was used to explain this finding. However, the vast majority of sexually victimized women (75-91%) could not be differentiated from nonvictims.

Cites (5)

1. The scope of rape: Incidence and prevalence of sexual aggression and victimization in a national sample of higher education students
   Koss, Mary P., Gidycz, Christine A., Wisniewski, Nadine · 1987 · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
2. The traumatic impact of child sexual abuse: A conceptualization.
   Finkelhor, David, Browne, Angela · 1985 · American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
3. Sexual Experiences Survey: A research instrument investigating sexual aggression and victimization.
   Koss, Mary P., Oros, Cheryl J. · 1982 · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
4. Date rapists: Differential sexual socialization and relative deprivation
   Kanin, Eugene J. · 1985 · Archives of Sexual Behavior
5. Methodological considerations in research on the prevalence of child sexual abuse
   Wyatt, Gail Elizabeth, Peters, Stefanie Doyle · 1986 · Child Abuse & Neglect

Show all 5 references

Cited by (23)

1. Violence Against Women: An Integrated, Ecological Framework
   HEISE, LORI L. · 1998 · Violence Against Women
2. Rape Myths: In Review
   Lonsway, Kimberly A., Fitzgerald, Louise F. · 1994 · Psychology of Women Quarterly
3. Sexual Revictimization: A Review of the Empirical Literature
   Classen, Catherine C., Palesh, Oxana Gronskaya, Aggarwal, Rashi · 2005 · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse
4. Attribution of blame in rape cases: A review of the impact of rape myth acceptance, gender role conformity and substance use on victim blaming
   Grubb, Amy, Turner, Emily · 2012 · Aggression and Violent Behavior
5. No safe haven: Male violence against women at home, at work, and in the community.
   Koss, Mary P., Goodman, Lisa A., Browne, Angela, Fitzgerald, Louise F., Keita, Gwendolyn Puryear, Russo, Nancy Felipe · 1994

See all 499