Black Female Adolescents and Sexual Violence: A Quantitative Investigation

Abstract

Abstract: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black teenagers are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence. It is estimated that millions of Black teens experience intimate interpersonal violence each year. Black girls are more likely than any other marginalized group to experience sexual violence. According to the National Center on Violence Against Black Women, it is estimated that one in four Black girls will be sexually assaulted before the age of 18. The more information one has concerning how social determinants serve as conduits and barriers to the prevalence of sexual violence, the more beneficial to all communities, and especially Black girls and women. To help fill this gap in knowledge, this paper utilizes critical race theory and intersectionality as theoretical frameworks; employs secondxary analysis of the Black adolescent girls sample within the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as hierarchical logistical regression modeling to examine the relative impact of positive health behaviors, sexual behavior, and key demographics on whether a respondent had ever experienced sexual violence. Further, to examine gender differences across these relationships for Black adolescents, analyses are performed first for both genders and then separately for male and female respondents. The findings suggest that Black adolescent females who do not engage in risky health behaviors are less likely to experience sexual violence. This study demonstrates that the experience of sexual violence is not directly correlated with risky health behaviors, but the results do suggest that overindulgence in any of the identified risky behavior could create a climate conducive for the experience of sexual violence.