In much feminist literature, patriarchy has often been studied as a predictive variable for attitudes toward or acts of violence against women. However, rarely has patriarchy been examined as an outcome across studies. The current study works toward filling this gap by examining several individual-and neighborhood-level factors that might influence patriarchy. Specifically, this research seeks to determine if neighborhood-level attributes related to socioeconomic status, family composition, and demographic information affect patriarchal views after individual-level correlates of patriarchy were controlled. Findings suggest that factors at both the individual- and neighborhood levels, particularly familial characteristics and dynamics, do influence the endorsement of patriarchal views.

The purpose of this article is to examine the state of the science of sexual assault research to direct future research in three key areas: responses,mediators, and current theorywith a religious or spiritual focus addressing recovery. Three research questions guided the investigation of literature and the formation of this article: (a) What are common survivor responses to, and long-term effects of, sexual assault?; (b) What are mediators for recovery after sexual assault?; and (c) What theory with a religious or spiritual focus exists to address recovery from sexual assault? This research identifies significant gaps in the literature underscoring the importance of future research that examines responses to and long-term effects of sexual assault, need for mediators during recovery, and need to develop theory using religious and spiritual tenets aiding in recovery from sexual assault. Further research is necessary to develop this science, expand understanding, and support sexual assault survivors on their recovery journey.

The present study examined presence of sexual assault history and perfectionism (viz., positive strivings & evaluative concerns) as predictors of self-destructive behaviors (viz., NSSI & suicidal behaviors) in a sample of 287 women college students. Results obtained from conducting a series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated several notable patterns. Sexual assault history was a consistent predictor of both NSSI and suicidal behaviors. Moreover, the inclusion of perfectionism was also found to consistently predict additional unique variance in NSSI and suicidal behaviors, even after accounting for sexual assault history. These patterns remained largely unchanged even after accounting for shared variance between NSSI and suicidal behaviors. Within the perfectionism set, evaluative concerns emerged as the most consistent unique predictor of both indices of self-destructive behavior. Finally, we did not find evidence for a significant Positive Strivings × Evaluative Concerns interaction effect in our analyses. Overall, our findings indicate that beyond the presence of sexual assault history, perfectionism remains an important predictor of self-destructive behaviors in women college students.

The separation of sperm from female epithelial cells has been a topic of interest in forensic DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) analysis since the origin of the field. One of the most needed applications of DNA analysis in the identification of the perpetrator of a sexual assault, as often there is little to no other evidence for identification. The largest hurdle to forensic DNA analysis in these cases is that vaginal or oral swabs from sexual assaults will have a mixture of the victim’s epithelial cells and the perpetrator’s sperm cells. It is well known that the analysis of complex mixtures can be difficult to impossible, especially when there is an added concern of low template DNA. Separating these cell types in the mixture evidence is the best way to avoid the need to deduce these difficult mixtures. Sperm and Epithelial Cells are morphologically different both in cell shape and DNA packaging. Nuclear DNA in epithelial cells are more loosely packaged around histones in a structure called a nucleosome. Sperm DNA is tightly packaged around protamines rather than histones. These DNA packaging differences can be utilized to preferentially lyse sperm and epithelial cells in order to separate them. Traditionally this is done by lysing epithelial cells with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and proteinase K (PK), separating this epithelial DNA from the sperm by centrifugations and finally lysis of the sperm using dithiothreitol (DTT) which reduces the disulfide bonds in the sperm DNA packaging. This method was developed by Peter Gill in 1985 and is still used by forensic laboratories to date. This differential extraction is very labor intensive and time consuming. This dual-enzyme differential extraction can be performed in roughly one hour, which is highly advantageous with the large amount of backlogged sexual assault cases that forensic laboratories have. This work was undertaken to improve the separation of epithelial DNA from sperm cells in the dual-enzyme differential extraction. Here we found that the DNA carryover into the sperm fraction was due to a combination of an inability to completely separate the non-sperm fraction liquid from the sperm pellet and the decreased efficiency of ZyGEM to fully lyse epithelial cells in clumps. The solution to this problem includes the addition of a wash of the sperm pellet after initial separation of the fractions. This wash step decreased the concentration of epithelial DNA to the point that its detection may only occur with very low concentrations of sperm DNA. / 2017-11-03T00:00:00Z

South African incidence of rape ranks amongst the highest worldwide. No direct policy exists for the emergency care provider management of rape victims in the pre-hospital setting. The pre-hospital exposure to rape cases is unknown as its health information system is not gender-based violence sensitive. In the absence of a clearly defined protocol, indiscretion in the emergency care treatment of rape victims remains undocumented. As a particularly vulnerable group globally, victims of rape are deserving of focused intervention. A qualitative, descriptive approach guided the research in which nine semi-structured voluntary interviews were held with emergency care providers, forensic medical practitioners and emergency consultants. Through a critical theory lens thematic content analysis was employed. University of Cape Town ethics approval was attained. The study found that pre-hospital providers lack knowledge and skills of rape victim identification and management but are desirous of evidence-informed guidelines for treatment and referral in a multidisciplinary approach. Educational and policy deficiencies are documented. The recommendations support a community of practice that is mutually inclusive of specialist rape-care centres, emergency department and pre-hospital providers in the interest of forensic emergency medicine. Due regard must be had for needs of practitioners at risk of vicarious traumatization from sexual assault management. Transformative curricula and responsive clinical guidelines are likely to redress any complicity of the health sector non-response to rape/sexual assault. This study is likely to benefit emergency care regulators, educators and researchers whose professional interest is to promote responsivity of the health system to rape.

The purpose of this thesis is to defend and prove, through four contexts and various arguments, the research standpoint which states that there should be a regulation of sex robots and the use of sex robots. The method used is an argumentation analysis which is used to analyze the arguments pro and contra sex robots and the use of the robotic device. Through a normative framework, the precautionary principle is applied, along with various Human Rights Conventions, as a ground in favor of the regulation. The concluding thoughts of the thesis show that the majority of arguments prove there being the possible risks of objectification, pedophilia, sexual assault, and rape, that sex robots expose women and children to, and therefore there should be a regulation of sex robots and the use of sex robots.

In the field of forensic biology, the term “time since intercourse (TSI)” is used to describe the approximate time elapsed between an alleged sexual assault and the collection of a Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit (SAECK) from a victim. The estimation of TSI, or Post Coital Interval (PCI), can be crucial information for particular cases in which the time between offense and the collection of a SAECK is in question. Oftentimes, forensic scientists must evaluate the significance of biological test results from evidence in SAECKs, but the variability in current literature complicates interpreting these results. Developing a reliable framework to estimate TSI based on a more extensive review of forensic casework would provide investigators with a fundamental tool for estimating a general timeline in which the offense occurred. This information may play an important role in supporting or refuting a narrative, or weighing the significance of the evidence at hand. This study aims to develop a dependable framework for estimating TSI in living victims based on casework received by Boston Police Department (BPD) Crime Laboratory, Boston, MA. Additionally, this study seeks to determine if any significance exists between the victim’s reported post coital activities and the collection of evidence, including the presence of intact sperm cells. The need to expand research on estimating TSI for sexual assault victims using actual forensic casework is crucial to provide a more reliable method for TSI estimation, compared to previous studies, which have generally been based on fertility studies. Between the years of 2009 and 2017, over 1,800 reported SAECKs were submitted to the Boston Police Department for evidence processing. More than 500 of these kits met the qualifications for this study, including: a living victim, smear slides prepared by a medical professional, and the identification of sperm cells during original kit processing. In order to estimate TSI, the smear slides from these cases were microscopically examined for the presence of intact sperm cells with the aid of Kernechtrot Picroindigocarmine (KPIC) stain. Based on casework received by the BPD, the maximum TSI reported for observing intact spermatozoa on vaginal smear slides was 105 hours, with an average collection time of 15 hours. The maximum TSI in which intact spermatozoa were observed on anorectal smear slides was 17.75 hours, with an average collection time of 7.9 hours. The average collection time in which intact spermatozoa on oral smear slides were observed was 6.9 hours, with a maximum reported TSI of 13.5 hours. Moreover, data from this study indicates a positive relationship between the total number of post coital activities completed before kit collection and the passage of time. Overall, this study provides reliable evidence based on actual casework samples for more accurately estimating the timeframe in which sperm evidence can be recovered after intercourse in living victims of sexual assault crimes.

One in four women experience sexual assault during college. With rates of sexual assault on college campuses continuing to increase, the need for advanced analysis utilizing contemporary variables is justified. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare two groups of female college-attending students. One group was certain and the other suspected that they were sexually assaulted while incapacitated (independent variables). Dependent variables compared between groups were offender type (interest on offenders with fraternal affiliations), law enforcement reporting decisions, and barriers to reporting sexual assault. Four research questions measured whether there was a statistically significant difference amongst the dependent variables when compared to the independent variables. The theoretical foundation for this study was empowerment theory. A comparative research design was used to examine archival data from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research. Logistic regression and chi-square analysis showed mostly significant results: fraternal membership, reporting to law enforcement, and barriers to reporting to law enforcement were statistically significant. In addition, ad hoc tests were significant, indicating that being on a date with the offender, university disciplinary action taken, and whether the offender was arrested were all statistically significant variables. Social change is achievable at two levels, organizational and societal. Universities, advocacy groups, and governmental agencies may all benefit from contemporary findings. Furthermore, improved societal understanding of campus sexual assault culture and victimology can create a safe space for victims to report sexual assault on a college campus when it involves incapacitation.

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