Sexual Violence

Definition of Sexual Assault

 Non consensual sexual act by M or F
 To either another M or F
 Regardless of relationship
 3 levels >> different penalties
Stats
 Difficult >>> Underreported
 Differences in stats and surveys
 2002>> 24,000 reported www.soc.ucsb.edu

 78 per 100,000
 Survey>>6 out of every 100 only reported
 Real number = 1300 for every 100,000
 RAPE
Rape Myths
 See textbook
 Stereotypic idea
 False but widely believed
 Serve to deny & justify male aggression
against women
M > F

Types of Rapists
 Different motivations
 Different classifications
www.safefromabuse.com/images/photos/myths.jpg
 RAPE
Types of Rapists
Power rapist
Anger rapist •Dominance Sadistic
•More force than •Sexual
& control
needed •Force gratification
•Degrade victim by hurting
varies
•Anger >> F •A lot of
•Not sex
•Not sexual injury,
•Fantasies
gratification •40% torture,
•50% death
•Violent
fantasies
**opportunistic •5%
 RAPE
Consequences of Rape (Psych & Law)
 Rape Trauma Syndrome
 Describe effects of rape
 Interviews with F
 30 minutes & 1 month
ACUTE PHASE LONG TERM
 Few days-weeks  Few months-?
 Fear, anxiety, self-  Phobias, sexual
blame, dis-trust, self- problems, depression,
doubt lifestyle changes
 Denial, disrupted  PTSD
patterns
 Cognitive &
physiological
symptoms
 RAPE
 Rape Shield Laws
 1985
 A victim’s prior sexual history cannot be
introduced in court
 Amended in 1992>> Judge’s discretion
 RTS & PSYCHOLOGY & THE
LAW
 What can a Psychologist do?
 When a victim becomes a witness in a
criminal trial
Assessement of survivior’s claims and
respomses
Expert witness ; RTSAmended in 1992>>
Judge’s discretion
 RTS & PSYCHOLOGY & THE
LAW
 What can a Psychologist do?
 ASESSMENT
Follingstad (1994) identified activites for
psychologist in assessment process
functioning before & after sexual assult
changes in identiy, self-esttem, decision
making
development of phobias
social adjustment, sexual functioning, coping
interview others
previous sexaul assults
 RTS & PSYCHOLOGY & THE
LAW
 What can a Psychologist do?
 EXPERT WITNESS

 Educate jurors about rape myths

 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
 Issue of consent
 Help with creditability
 RAPE
Theories of Rape
 3
 Not only about sex-if at all
 Many use more force than necessary to get
sex
 THEORIES OF RAPE
Social Learning
Feminist •Rapist learn to Evolutionary
•Rape is built into •Rape =sex
rape
gender structure •Learn pro- •Rape to
of society transmit genes
rape beliefs &
•Socialization,
attitudes
legal system, •Rape=learned
patriarchal
society
Rape =Power
 Child Molester Typologies
Groth ( 1992)
 research with incarcerated child molesters

1) Fixated Child molesters

 Sexually attracted to children
 Begins in adolescence
 Males are targets
 Planned offences
 Emotionally immature, poor social skills, single
 No drug/alcohol abuse
 No remorse
 No stressful event
 Child Molester Typologies
Groth ( 1992)
 research with incarcerated child molesters

1) Regressed Child molesters

 Sexually attracted to adults
 Begins in adulthood
 Females are targets
 Stress before, feel inadequate
 Impulsive
 Married, marital problems
 Alcohol use
 Likely to report remorse
 Models of Child Molestation
Finkelhor’s ( 1984)
 4 preconditions

Emotional congruence Blockages preventing adult

with children contact
•emotionally immature •lack social skills

Social arsousal by Disinhibition of norms

children against ex with children
•pornography
•tolerance
•hormonal imbalances
 Models of Child Molestation
Cognitive/Clinical Model
 4 steps in process

Cognitive distortions Grooming

•I’m not hurting them” •how they contact, gain trust,
confidence
DENIAL
Planning through fantasy
•what will they do?
Offence
•criminal act
 Models of Child Molestation
The Sexualization Model
Howitt (1995)
Early abusive sexual Especially if extreme or
experiences repeated

Adolescent paedophile Possible sexual experiences

career with peers

Paedophile adult
 Theory of Child Molestation
Marshal & Barbaree (1990)
Integrated Model
 Males do not learn to
inhibit sexually aggressive
behavior
 Due to childhood abuse/
dysfunctional families
 Society accepts negative
attitudes towards women
 SEXUAL OFFENDERS &
TREATEMENT
Offenders
Deniers vs Admitters
• Empathy training
• Social skills training
• Substance abuse programs
• Aversion therapy
• Relapse prevention

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

 SEXUAL OFFENDERS &
TREATEMENT
Multidisciplinary approach
Structured group work
Methods
 Brainstorming & group discussion
 Small group discussion
 Role-Playing
 Individual focus on the individual
 Videos
 Homework
 SEXUAL OFFENDERS &
TREATEMENT
Multidisciplinary approach
Structured group work
Major Components
 Describing the Offence
 Challenging distorted thinking
 Victim Empathy work
 Fantasy Modification (Aversion therpay,
Masturbatory reconditioning, Satiation, Covert
Sensitization)
 Socail Skills
 Relapse Prevention
 Relapse Prevention
 Self-controlprogram
 Teach offenders to recognize risky situations
 Learn to cope & avoid situation
 *** p383
 SEXUAL OFFENDERS

Offenders
• Treatment (effectiveness)
• Differing views
• Difficult to study
• No treatment>>higher recidivism rates
• CBT more effective
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
 Violence between family members
 Often in private
 Historically accepted >> until 1980’s

Intimate partner violence

 Living together or separated
 Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) measures how
person resolves conflict
 Widely used to assess domestic violence
 Range from constructive problem solving to
physical aggression
 How often experienced, how often engaged in
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS)
Archer (2002) results;
 F > minor physical aggression
 M> beat up, choke measures how person resolves
conflict
 Differences when comparing groups

CTS criticized for:

1. Doesn’t include sexual aggression
2. How administered
3. Combine results
4. Does not take into account different consequences for
M&F
5. Doesn’t assess motive for violence
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Stats
 See textbook p 363
Theories of Intimate Violence
1. Patriarchy (1970) (Dobash & Dobash, 1979)
 Broad set of cultural beliefs and values that support
male domination over women
 Social & familial (Smith, 1990)
 Influences people’s expectations about authority
within an intimate relationship
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
2. Social learning (Bandura, 1973)
 Dutton (1995)
 Applies to spousal abuse
 3 main components
 1: Origins
 2: Instigators
 3: Regulators

1. Origins : Observational Learning

2. Instigators: Appropriate stimulus
3. Regulators: Rewards & Punishments
The BIG QUESTION
Why do battered women stay?
Myths
1. Women has masochistic desire to be beaten
2. Emotional disturbed
3. Violence isn’t as bad as she says
4. Women is partially to blame
Research about why they stay or returned:
 Partner >> change (71%)
 Lack of $ (46%)
 Nowhere to go
 Threats to kill
 Children wanted to go back
 Shelter was full
Research indicates;
Psychological, environmental,
socialization barriers to leaving

Psych: anxiety, self-confidence, cognitions,

emotional attachment,