This study tested an underlying assumption of professionals who interview young children with anatomically correct dolls: children who have been sexually abused react differently to interviews with the dolls than children who have not been sexually abused. The behavior of a group of children who were referred to a mental health clinic in the southwestern United States because of suspected sexual abuse was compared to the behavior of a group of children referred to the same clinic for other reasons while the children were interviewed by clinicians using anatomically correct dolls. The study examined four categories of behavior which consisted of indicators of child sexual abuse from the literature. The four categories were: (1) sexual behavior; (2) anger/aggression; (3) anxiety/regression; and (4) avoidant behavior. Clinicians at the mental health clinic identified potential subjects for the study from the outpatient population. Parents were given written and verbal descriptions of the study and asked to contact the researcher if they were interested in allowing their child to participate. The voluntary nature of participation in the study was stressed. Eleven children who were referred because of suspected sexual abuse and eleven children referred for other reasons were successfully recruited. Groups were matched as closely as possible as to sex, age, racial/ethnic group and developmental level. Two dependent measures were employed: the Behavioral Checklist and the Likelihood of Victimization Scale. Both instruments were designed for the research study. The Behavioral Checklist was completed by two observers who watched each interview from behind a one-way mirror. The Likelihood of Victimization Scale was completed by the clinicians who interviewed the children. Observers as well as interviewers were blind to the referral status of the children. Statistically significant differences were obtained for two of the four categories of the Behavioral Checklist. The same two categories correlated significantly with the Likelihood of Victimization Scale. The results provided support for the assumption tested.

The purpose of this three-paper dissertation is to address existing gaps in the literature by examining the intersections of gender-based violence (intimate and non-intimate partner) (GBV) among key-affected populations, defined as women engaged in sex trading in intimate relationships, HIV-positive women, and/or low-income, substance-involved women. This dissertation includes three papers that examine: 1) IPV and recent sex trading among a sample of substance-involved women in intimate sexual relationships in New York City; 2) the prevalence and correlates of GBV among a sample of HIV-positive women in Kazakhstan; and 3) the synergistic effects of IPV, HIV, and substance use on mental health (depression and suicidality) among a sample of high-risk women in relationships in Kazakhstan. This dissertation is guided by the ecological systems framework, intersectionality, and syndemic theory. Key findings from the dissertation highlight the pervasive nature of GBV among vulnerable women who engage in high-risk behaviors and/or live in high-risk settings. Specifically, key findings from papers one and two show higher than average prevalence of GBV among women who engage in sex trading as well as HIV-positive women. Findings from this dissertation also suggest that women who report depression, individual and partner sexual and drug risk-behaviors, and HIV-related stigma are more likely to report GBV than those who do not; and that women who have higher levels of social support and food security are less likely to report GBV and poor mental health. Findings also have several implications for GBV and HIV prevention/intervention efforts within the U.S. and in Kazakhstan, including scaling up efforts to address GBV by multiple perpetrators, stigma, trauma and mental health, drug and sexual risk among couples, and food stability.

Essa tese teve como objetivo identificar, ordenar e entender quais eram as estratégias dos relatos (os argumentos e suas intenções) e as representações da sexualidade que compunham os autos de crimes sexuais queixados na comarca de Ribeirão Preto entre as décadas de 1870/1970. Para entendê-las alguns temas que veiculavam valores considerados ideais e normativos das relações de gênero foram apresentados resumíveis na vivência da heterossexualidade adulta no casamento. A um banco de dados de 101 autos de crimes sexuais datados entre 1871/1941 (Código Penal 1890) foram comparadas informações de outros 220 autos datados entre 1942/1979 (Código Penal 1940), ambos pertencentes ao 1º, 2° e 4° Ofícios da comarca ribeirão-pretana e sob responsabilidade do Arquivo Público e Histórico de Ribeirão Preto. Estes dois conjuntos de autos foram comparados quanto à caracterização (1) dos casos, (2) dos acusados/vítimas e (3) das estratégias de relato e representações da sexualidade. A análise recorreu ao cálculo de freqüência simples para 1 e 2, e à busca de regularidades e cortes temáticos nos depoimentos dos autos para 3. Diante disso, o argumento defendido é que mesmo havendo mudanças nas estratégias, nos casos e nos participantes, as representações da sexualidade continuaram enfatizando aspectos tradicionais das relações de gênero. Assim, mesmo se na década de 1940 a maioria das queixas muda da tentativa de efetivar o casamento (combinado ou não com o acusado, alegando a vítima que perder a virgindade configurava crime passível de reparação pelo matrimônio) para a tentativa de condenar o acusado (vitimação sexual de crianças, parentes, mulheres e homens de forma não consentida e com uso de força física), o vitimado sempre diz ser moralmente idôneo (mulher e homem honestos e de boa conduta enganados ou violentados a contragosto; criança inocente corrompida pelo contato precoce e violento com a sexualidade), e o acusado se considera erroneamente imputado (ethos masculino: o parceiro já estava corrompido ou se entregou livremente às relações sexuais; o acusado estava acometido de doença ou desvio que o impedia de se portar adequadamente). Dessa forma os participantes para atingirem seus objetivos enfatizam nos relatos aspectos tradicionais de gênero e sexualidade, pois eram estes os demandados pelos discursos e codex jurídico (que são mais resistentes, mas não indiferentes, às mudanças sociais). / This research aimed to identify, organize and understand which were the gender strategies and representations of sexuality identified in sexual crime charges in Ribeirão Pretos judicial district between the 1870s and 1970s. In order to understand them, themes that informed about gender normative values and ideals (which can be condensed into the adult heterosexuality in marriage) were presented. A database of 101 documents (police inquiries and sexual crime suits) between 1871 and 1941 (1890 Brazilian Penal Code) were compared to 220 documents between 1942 and 1979 (1940 Brazilian Penal Code), both belonging to the 1st, 2nd and 4th Judicial Offices under responsibility of the Arquivo Público e Histórico de Ribeirão Preto. These two sets of documents were compared in order to characterize: (1) the cases of the inquiries and suits, (2) the involved ones (victim and defendant), (3) their gender strategies and representations of sexuality. For the analysis, simple calculation of frequency in (1) and (2), and search for thematic regularities in (3) were carried out. The research argument is that, although the strategies, the involved persons and the cases characterizations have changed; the representations of sexuality continued emphasizing traditional aspects of gender relations the same ones demanded by the legal codex. Therefore, even that, in the 1940s, the aim of the charges changed from solving the complaint through marriage between defendant and victim (consented loss of virginity) to criminal punishment (as a reparation to the non consented sexual intercourse), the victimized ones continued empathizing their sexual and moral honesty (modesty, shyness etc.), and the defendants continued saying that the inquiries and suits were wrong, and they were unfairly accused (they had a job, were respectful and presented good behavior, or a mental disorder).

Essa tese teve como objetivo identificar, ordenar e entender quais eram as estratégias dos relatos (os argumentos e suas intenções) e as representações da sexualidade que compunham os autos de crimes sexuais queixados na comarca de Ribeirão Preto entre as décadas de 1870/1970. Para entendê-las alguns temas que veiculavam valores considerados ideais e normativos das relações de gênero foram apresentados resumíveis na vivência da heterossexualidade adulta no casamento. A um banco de dados de 101 autos de crimes sexuais datados entre 1871/1941 (Código Penal 1890) foram comparadas informações de outros 220 autos datados entre 1942/1979 (Código Penal 1940), ambos pertencentes ao 1º, 2° e 4° Ofícios da comarca ribeirão-pretana e sob responsabilidade do Arquivo Público e Histórico de Ribeirão Preto. Estes dois conjuntos de autos foram comparados quanto à caracterização (1) dos casos, (2) dos acusados/vítimas e (3) das estratégias de relato e representações da sexualidade. A análise recorreu ao cálculo de freqüência simples para 1 e 2, e à busca de regularidades e cortes temáticos nos depoimentos dos autos para 3. Diante disso, o argumento defendido é que mesmo havendo mudanças nas estratégias, nos casos e nos participantes, as representações da sexualidade continuaram enfatizando aspectos tradicionais das relações de gênero. Assim, mesmo se na década de 1940 a maioria das queixas muda da tentativa de efetivar o casamento (combinado ou não com o acusado, alegando a vítima que perder a virgindade configurava crime passível de reparação pelo matrimônio) para a tentativa de condenar o acusado (vitimação sexual de crianças, parentes, mulheres e homens de forma não consentida e com uso de força física), o vitimado sempre diz ser moralmente idôneo (mulher e homem honestos e de boa conduta enganados ou violentados a contragosto; criança inocente corrompida pelo contato precoce e violento com a sexualidade), e o acusado se considera erroneamente imputado (ethos masculino: o parceiro já estava corrompido ou se entregou livremente às relações sexuais; o acusado estava acometido de doença ou desvio que o impedia de se portar adequadamente). Dessa forma os participantes para atingirem seus objetivos enfatizam nos relatos aspectos tradicionais de gênero e sexualidade, pois eram estes os demandados pelos discursos e codex jurídico (que são mais resistentes, mas não indiferentes, às mudanças sociais). / This research aimed to identify, organize and understand which were the gender strategies and representations of sexuality identified in sexual crime charges in Ribeirão Pretos judicial district between the 1870s and 1970s. In order to understand them, themes that informed about gender normative values and ideals (which can be condensed into the adult heterosexuality in marriage) were presented. A database of 101 documents (police inquiries and sexual crime suits) between 1871 and 1941 (1890 Brazilian Penal Code) were compared to 220 documents between 1942 and 1979 (1940 Brazilian Penal Code), both belonging to the 1st, 2nd and 4th Judicial Offices under responsibility of the Arquivo Público e Histórico de Ribeirão Preto. These two sets of documents were compared in order to characterize: (1) the cases of the inquiries and suits, (2) the involved ones (victim and defendant), (3) their gender strategies and representations of sexuality. For the analysis, simple calculation of frequency in (1) and (2), and search for thematic regularities in (3) were carried out. The research argument is that, although the strategies, the involved persons and the cases characterizations have changed; the representations of sexuality continued emphasizing traditional aspects of gender relations the same ones demanded by the legal codex. Therefore, even that, in the 1940s, the aim of the charges changed from solving the complaint through marriage between defendant and victim (consented loss of virginity) to criminal punishment (as a reparation to the non consented sexual intercourse), the victimized ones continued empathizing their sexual and moral honesty (modesty, shyness etc.), and the defendants continued saying that the inquiries and suits were wrong, and they were unfairly accused (they had a job, were respectful and presented good behavior, or a mental disorder).

Thesis (M.A. (English) -- University of Limpopo, 2010 / This dissertation examines the way in which two South African novelists, Zakes Mda and J.M. Coetzee, portray the sexual abuse of women during the apartheid and post-apartheid eras. The two selected novels used in this research are The Madonna of Excelsior (2002) by Mda and Disgrace (2000) by Coetzee. The research, furthermore, analyses the attitudes of the sexual abusers and their victims in both eras as well as examines the effects of socio-economic imbalances that might have prompted the men to sexually abuse women whom they should be offering protection against any form of violence and abuse. The study furthermore identifies and analyses the factors that hinder victims from reporting their sexual abuse to the police. Finally, this dissertation also presents a comparative study of the differences and the similarities between the way the two novelists portray sexual abuse.

Sexual assault has come to the forefront in terms of prevention and education for many social institutions such as college campuses. However, with a growing body of research highlighting the importance and effectiveness of interventions, research examining the impact of rape-related education on altering rape myth acceptance (RMA) among non-student populations is severely lacking. This is a problematic gap given the issue of sexual assault in the United States extends well beyond academia. The current study aimed to fill this gap by employing an experimental design with repeated measures. To detect changes in RMA after a short rape myth education intervention, pretest and posttest RMA scores were generated for all participants by using an altered version of the Updated Illinois Rape Myth Adherence scale. A sample of 137 non-students were surveyed via Amazon's Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned to a treatment (educational intervention) or control (unrelated video content). The treatment video was roughly ten minutes in length and constructed by the author for the purpose of the current research, after a search for a similar informal and accessible, but still research-based, video was not successful. Participants were presented with common rape myths and then provided with information (e.g., accessible research/statistics) with the aim to "debunk" these myths, and ultimately decrease acceptance of myths. Analyses indicate support for a significant change in RMA scores from pretest to posttest in the treatment group, finding support for the use of informal rape myth education in altering immediate RMA scores of a non-student sample. RMA scores were also examined by demographics to determine if within-group differences were present in the sample. No consistent results emerged in both the treatment and control group. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed

In recent years, the use of bystander intervention training to address campus sexual violence has risen rapidly. More research is critically needed to guide the ongoing development and implementation of prevention efforts by campuses utilizing this relatively new approach. This investigation examined associations between college students' bystander intervention behavior and three key factors: (1) perceived peer norms supportive of sexual violence; (2) perceived campus administrative response to sexual violence; and (3) sense of campus community. Data from a sample of 2370 college students was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression to test both direct and moderated effects. Findings revealed that both peer norms supportive of sexual violence and perceptions of campus administrative response to sexual violence were significantly associated with bystander intervention. No significant direct or moderating effects related to sense of campus community were uncovered in this sample. Implications of this study include contributing to the current knowledge base about factors associated with bystander intervention behavior, and informing campus efforts to make bystander training programs more effective.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Psychology, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 27, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Cynthia Huff (chair), Ronald Strickland, Rebecca Saunders, Perle Besserman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-230) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.W.S.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2000. / Bibliography: p. 232-245.