Preventing Sexual Aggression among University Students: An Online Intervention Study
Final Report Abstract
In combination, the findings from the project contribute to both applied and basic research questions in the field of sexual aggression research. The intervention was successful in reducing risky scripts and risky sexual behavior. Via these pathways, the intervention reduced the likelihood of experiencing sexual victimization at T3 and T4. The intervention was also successful in increasing sexual self-esteem, which in turn increased sexual refusal and initiation assertiveness, but only one indirect pathway from increased sexual self-esteem via higher initiation assertiveness was found on lower sexual victimization at T3. For two target variables, acceptance of sexual coercion and perceived realism of pornography, no intervention effects could be found. Potential reasons for the lack of intervention effects on these two variables are discussed below. By providing an intervention program based on established theoretical knowledge and empirical evidence and evaluated it in a state-of-the-art evaluation design, the project offers a tool for preventing sexual aggression among young adults that can address critical risk and vulnerability factors. We are currently in the process of developing possible ways of making the program available beyond the scientific field (e.g., by collaborating with the Federal Center for Health Education Research, BZgA). At the same time, the findings inform basic research on sexual aggression by demonstrating that reducing individual-level risk and vulnerability factors in a systematic fashion reduces the odds of sexual aggression perpetration and victimization and by contributing rich qualitative evidence on young adults’ understanding of sexual competence.
Publications
- (2021). Prevalence of sexual aggression victimization and perpetration in a German university student sample. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 50, 2109-2021. 2109-2021
Krahé, B., Schuster, I., & Tomaszewska, P.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01963-4) - (2022). A theory-based intervention to reduce risk and vulnerability factors of sexual aggression perpetration and victimization in German university students. The Journal of Sex Research
Schuster, I., Tomaszewska, P., & Krahé, B.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2105290) - (2022). Changing cognitive risk factors for sexual aggression: Risky sexual scripts, low sexual-self-esteem, perceptions of pornography, and acceptance of sexual coercion. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37, NP1177-NP1400
Schuster, I., Tomaszewska, P., & Krahé, B.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260520922341) - (2022). Links of perceived pornography realism with sexual aggression via sexual scripts, sexual behavior, and acceptance of sexual coercion: A study with German university students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 63
Krahé, B., Tomaszewska, P., & Schuster, I.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010063) - (2022). Young adults’ understanding of sexual competence: A qualitative study with German university students. Sexuality Research & Social Policy
Tomaszewska, P., Schuster, I., & Krahé, B.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-022-00767-y)
