Is "Stealthing" Sexual Aggression? Perceptions, Experiences, and Motives Within a Spanish Sample.

A comparative analysis of the endoscopic endonasal and pterional approaches for clipping anterior communicating artery aneurysms on three-dimensional printed models.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the rates, predictors, and associated sexual risk indices of young men's nonconsensual condom removal (also known as stealthing). Participants were 626 male inconsistent condom users aged 21-30 years recruited from an urban area in the Pacific Northwest. Participants completed survey measures assessing sexual aggression history, sexual aggression-related attitudes, sexually transmitted infection history, unplanned pregnancies, and nonconsensual condom removal experiences. Almost 10% of the participants (n = 61) reported engaging in nonconsensual condom removal since the age of 14 years, with an average of 3.62 times (SD = 3.87) and range of 1-21 times (maximum possible). After controlling for condom use self-efficacy, men with greater hostility toward women (odds ratio = 1.47) and more severe sexual aggression history (odds ratio = 1.06) had significantly higher odds of engaging in nonconsensual condom removal behavior. χ2 analyses demonstrated that men who had a history of nonconsensual condom removal were significantly more likely to have had a sexually transmitted infection diagnosis (29.5% vs. 15.1%) or have had a partner who experienced an unplanned pregnancy (46.7% vs. 25.8%). Nonconsensual condom removal, which involves elements of both sexual risk and sexual aggression, confers multiple sexual risks to its recipients, thus meriting increased clinical and research attention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Marital rape is a concept that many find difficult to comprehend. Until the Oregon trial of John Rideout, who was accused of rape by his wife Greta, there was little discussion of marital rape by the general public or by researchers and counselors skilled in dealing with other types of rape cases. However, the extensive media coverage given the Rideout case has raised a number of questions about this subject. For example, what actions should be defined as rape when the acts involve husband and wife? When women are forced to have sexual relations with their husbands, do they accept this as part of their marital duties or does the use of force have long-term negative consequences for the marriage? And finally, in what types of marriages does forced sex or marital rape occur? This paper attempts to answer some of these questions based upon interview data gathered from nearly 300 women.

Sexual activity typically follows an implicit sexual script or a normative sequence of behaviours that are involved in a sexual interaction. It is unclear whether or how affirmative sexual consent is incorporated in individual sexual scripts and interactions. The current research explores how sexual consent may be expressed and verified as part of individuals’ sexual interactions. Undergraduate participants from an Ontario university ( N = 92; 58 males, 34 females) completed a series of open-ended questions that asked them to describe their sexual experiences with a new and long-term partner from beginning to end. Analysis of presence of consent-related behaviours in participants’ accounts were assessed on the basis of a priori themes and extensions of these themes. Thematic analyses identified the following themes: 1) Sex proceeding with escalating intensity of nonverbal sexual behaviour, 2) Passive behaviours that do not indicate unwillingness to have sex, 3) Indirect verbal communication of interest in sex, 4) Indications that sex “just happened,” 5) Descriptions of the context in which sex occurred, and 6) Direct discussions relevant to sexual consent. Results indicated that direct discussion of sexual consent was exceedingly rare and that most sexual interactions included indirect, veiled, and coded behaviours that require inference of sexual consent or non-consent. Consent-related themes varied as a function of both participant gender (male versus female) and nature of relationship (new versus long-term). The findings of this study have implications for sexual health education, sexual assault prevention interventions, and public policy development.

The nuanced association between deficient empathy and sexual aggression

Non-consensual condom removal (NCCR) is the removal of a condom before or during sexual intercourse without one’s partner's consent. Despite considerable news and media attention devoted to the trend (as stealthing), little empirical research to date has examined people’s views of the practice. The present study aimed to contribute toward generating empirical evidence to guide the discussion surrounding NCCR. We asked participants about whether or not they felt NCCR is wrong, whether there should be consequences for its perpetration, and contextualized responses within legal context. A total of 592 undergraduate students took part in an online survey inquiring about their experiences with and views of NCCR. We used descriptive statistics to determine sample prevalence and outcomes of NCCR and qualitatively analyzed responses to open-ended questions asking about perceptions of NCCR. Of participants who had engaged in penetrative sexual intercourse with a male partner using an external condom, 18.7%, 95% CI [14.4, 22.7] reported that they had NCCR perpetrated against them. The majority of these participants reported that they experienced NCCR negatively and encountered related consequences; several reported contracting an STI, experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, or both. Nearly all participants expressed that NCCR is wrong, citing reasons that included the lack of consent, possibility of unplanned or unwanted outcomes, and a betrayal of trust. In this study, we found that there was agreement that NCCR is wrong, but variability in responses regarding the circumstances under which there should be consequences for the action. These perceptions reflect the current uncertainty in law. We recommend researchers refer to the phenomenon as NCCR (rather than stealthing) and discuss related issues to encourage future research to adopt consistent and accurate labels and definitions for NCCR. We hope that our findings will guide future research and spur public and legal discussion on NCCR.

Powered thermoluminescent dosimeters, CaSO4:Dy, were used to monitor underground radiation fields. Methods of monitoring at selected sites in Taiwan are described; exposure rates above ground at the monitoring sites are also included for comparison. Differences in exposure rates between above ground at 1 m and underground at -2 m may reach 0.516 nC kg-1 h-1. The key factor affecting exposure rates underground is the water content in soil or precipitation that may reduce the diffusion of Rn. The difference in exposure rates between rainy days and sunny days may reach 0.774 nC kg-1 h-1. An example of applying this monitoring technique at a radwaste repository is given.

Sexual aggression as committed by women has been the target of little empirical research and is still regarded as a myth by many people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychosexual profile of young and educated women reporting sexual aggression against men. This is a cross-sectional study; a total of 260 female college students answered to an online survey. Among them, 93 (35.8%) reported having committed some form of sexual aggression against men: 46.2% of sexually aggressive women fell into the category of sexual coercion, 34.1% fell into the category of sexual abuse, and 19.8% reported having used physical force. Findings revealed that sexually aggressive women reported significantly higher levels of sociosexuality, sexual fantasies of dominance and submission, sexual compulsivity, sexual excitation, and sexual inhibition due to the threat of sexual performance failure. Data are expected to affect prevention strategies for a relevant yet understudied social concern.

Grounded in the self-persuasion paradigm (an indirect persuasion approach, which places people in situations that motivate them to change their behavior), this study evaluated a brief, online intervention to reduce sexual aggression perpetration and increase prosocial bystander behaviors among heterosexual male college students (N = 241) in the United States. Students were randomly assigned to three conditions: (a) a self-persuasion intervention, (b) a social norms control condition, and (c) a control condition focusing on sense of belongingness. The self-persuasion intervention integrated three social psychological theoretical perspectives on attitudinal and behavioral change-cognitive dissonance (e.g., creating a personalized video message for incoming male college freshmen to explain the importance of consent in sexual contact), self-affirmation (e.g., reflecting on one's core values and how they are congruent with sexual consent), and personal relevance (e.g., writing about personally relevant reasons to always seek consent when having sexual contact). Participants in the self-persuasion condition reported greater prosocial bystander behaviors (e.g., intervening in situations to prevent sexual aggression) 6 months after the intervention as compared with those in the other two conditions; however, there were no significant difference in the rate of self-reported sexual aggression perpetration across conditions. The positive effect of the self-persuasion intervention on prosocial bystander behaviors was mediated by reduced self-perceived likelihood to commit sexual aggression and moderated by in-group solidarity with other college students. That is, the intervention had the most positive effect on prosocial bystander behaviors among participants with a lower sense of in-group solidarity. These findings are discussed in light of the promise of self-persuasion for future sexual aggression prevention work.

Several distal and proximal processes have been implicated in sexual aggression (SA) perpetration, including sexual misperception, or the erroneous perception of a potential partner's sexual interest or consent, alcohol intoxication, and past perpetration. Little is known about how these predictors interact in the context of a sexual interaction. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate how men's perceptions of a woman's sexual interest changed over the course of a hypothetical sexual interaction and how their intoxication, past perpetration and the woman's consent cues influenced those perceptions. Single, male social drinkers aged 21-30 with a history of risky sexual behavior (N = 97) completed an alcohol administration paradigm in which they were randomly assigned to an alcohol condition (sober control vs. intoxicated [BrAC = 0.10%]). Participants read a hypothetical scenario in which a man and woman engaged in nonpenetrative sex and the woman expressed nonconsent nonverbally and verbally. At several points during the scenario, participants rated the woman's sexual interest. Participants also reported their past perpetration. Men's perceptions of the woman's sexual interest significantly decreased following verbal expressions of nonconsent. There were no significant differences between intoxicated and sober participants' ratings of the woman's sexual perception following verbal expressions of nonconsent. Men with a history of perpetration rated the woman's sexual interest following multiple verbal expressions of nonconsent as higher than nonperpetrators. Results suggest that intoxication does not necessarily impede men's ability to adjust their perceptions of a woman's sexual interest following verbal expressions of nonconsent.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections occur worldwide but the epidemiology differs between different geographical regions. Epidemiology of varicella is partly understood in tropical and subtropical regions. Various hypotheses showing differences in exposure rates in different age groups have been proposed. Exposure to VZV during late childhood or adolescent stage causes high morbidity, especially in high school children, university students and young work force in tropical nations. Exposure to VZV infection or sero-prevalence rates through anti-VZV immunoglobulin G appears to be lower in Sri Lanka, similar to other tropical countries prior to the millennium. In contrast, a more recent study in a group of antenatal women showed a relatively higher exposure rate to VZV when compared to the exposure rates prior to 2004 in Sri Lanka. Climatic factors, socioeconomic conditions, mobility and cultural practices appear to play a role in the differences in the exposure rates to VZV infection in the tropics. In most tropical Asian countries including Sri Lanka, routine vaccination against varicella is not carried out. Individuals with negative history for varicella take the vaccine when there is a necessity. Medical and nursing students take the vaccine prior to their clinical training to avoid adulthood varicella.

Sexual aggression is a major problem among young adults. Sexual scripts are cognitive schemata representing typical elements of sexual interactions and serve as guidelines for sexual behavior. They may be linked to the risk of sexual aggression if they contain elements known to be associated with the perpetration of sexual aggression, such as alcohol use, sex with casual partners, and ambiguous communication of sexual intentions. The study was designed to examine pathways from risky sexual scripts for consensual sex to risky sexual behavior and sexual aggression perpetration in men and women. The study employed a three-wave longitudinal design with 12-month intervals. Participants were 2425 university students in Germany (58% female). At each wave (Time 1-Time 3), participants completed measures of risky sexual scripts and risky sexual behavior, defined by three aspects: Casual sex, alcohol consumption, and ambiguous communication of sexual intentions. Reports of sexual aggression perpetration were collected since the age of consent (14 years; Time 1) or in the past 12 months (Time 2 and Time 3) using the Sexual Aggression and Victimization Scale. Perpetration rates for men were 9.8% at Time 1, 12.2% at Time 2, and 9.5% at Time 3. For female participants, the corresponding rates were 6.0% at Time 1, 6.3% at Time 2, and 5.1% at Time 3. The gender difference was significant at Time 1 and Time 2, but not at Time 3. As hypothesized, more risky sexual scripts prospectively predicted more risky sexual behavior, which predicted a higher risk of sexual aggression perpetration. The findings held for men and women and for participants with exclusively opposite-sex and with both opposite- and same-sex contacts. Scripts for consensual sex may be risk factors for sexual aggression among men and women if they contain elements identified as risk factors for sexual aggression. The findings suggest that changing risky sexual scripts for consensual sex may be a promising strategy for preventing sexual aggression perpetration.

Lack of consent is an essential characteristic of sexual violence. The present study was conducted to analyze the relation between sexual consent and the risk of perpetrating sexual aggression by men and victimization suffered by women in more depth. The sample consisted of 1681 heterosexual Spanish men and women aged 18-66years. The participants completed an online survey containing the Spanish versions of the Sexual Consent Scale Revised and the Sexual Experiences Survey. The results showed that 70.2% of the women had been sexual victims, and 20.8% of men reported having perpetrated sexual violence. On the one hand, sexual aggressors, unlike non aggressors, underestimated the relevance of obtaining sexual consent, and more aggressors reported lack of perceived behavioral control for requesting sexual consent and endorsed less positive attitudes to obtain sexual consent than non aggressors. On the other hand, sexual victims, compared to non victims, considered requesting explicit sexual consent relevant, but held certain ideas, attitudes, and behaviors that did not go along with obtaining sexual consent, which leaves women in a position of vulnerability.

Evidence exists suggesting that most sexual aggression against older adults occurs in long-term care facilities. Fellow residents are the most common perpetrators, often demonstrating inappropriate hypersexual behavior caused by dementing illness. This resident-to-resident sexual aggression (RRSA) is defined as sexual interactions between long-term care residents that, in a community setting, at least one of the recipients would be likely to construe as unwelcome and that have high potential to cause physical or psychological distress in one or both of the involved residents. Although RRSA may be common, and physical and psychological consequences for victims may be significant, this phenomenon has received little direct attention from researchers. This is a review of the existing literature and relevant related research examining elder sexual abuse and hypersexual behavior that describes the epidemiological features of this phenomenon, including risk factors for perpetrators and victims. The legitimate and recognized need for nursing home residents, even those with advanced dementing illness, to express themselves sexually makes preventing and managing sexual aggression in nursing homes more challenging. This review discusses the ethical dilemma this situation creates and the need to evaluate the capacity to consent to sexual activity of residents with dementing illness and to re-evaluate capacity as the diseases progress. Suggestions are offered for managing incidents of RRSA and for future research, including the importance of designing effective interventions.

A new study has identified modifiable context and care worker factors associated with aggressive behavior of nursing home residents toward staff. According to Karin Stutte, MScN, of Solothurn’s Hospital AG, Switzerland, and fellow researchers, aggressive behavior from nursing home residents against care workers is a distressing and often unacknowledged experience. “Previous studies have linked differences in prevalence not only to the individual histories of the residents, or the details of their injuries, psychological states, or dementia, but also to a range of context factors (i.e., factors related either to the nursing home setting or to individual care workers),” Stutte and colleagues wrote (Geriatr Nurs 2017;38:398–405).“Identifying context and care worker factors’ relationships with aggressive behavior would support recommendations for interventions to reduce residents’ aggression.” Their study detailed the prevalence of three types of aggressive behavior by residents toward care workers in Swiss nursing homes, and examined the relationship of context and care worker factors with the aggressive behaviors. The researchers defined aggressive behavior as any nonaccidental overt act involving the delivery of noxious stimuli toward an object, oneself, or another person. The types of aggression could be verbal, physical, or sexual. The researchers performed a secondary data analysis of the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project, a representative multicenter study with a cross-sectional design. They collected data from May 2012 to April 2013 and surveyed care workers by use of a self-report questionnaire. The analysis included 155 nursing homes that housed 402 units and employed 3,919 care workers. The mean age of the residents was 85 years, with 62% displaying symptoms or having a diagnosis of dementia. The mean care worker was 43 years old, and 92% were female. During the 4 weeks preceding the survey, the researchers found that 66% of care workers had been verbally assaulted, 42% had been physically assaulted, and 15% had been the focus of sexual aggression. For the care workers who were exposed to aggression, most experienced it less than once a week. The care workers reported a lower likelihood of experiencing verbal, sexual, or physical aggression if they were older or they worked in non–special care units versus special care units, or if they perceived their facility to be well staffed, with adequate resources. Sexual aggression was less likely to be experienced by male workers or by staff who characterized their working style as autonomous. Verbal aggression was more likely to be experienced by workers who perceived they had good or very good collaboration among team members. Both verbal and physical aggression were more likely to be experienced by staff who were emotionally exhausted. Compared with tertiary-level care workers, certified nursing assistants and nurse aides had an increased likelihood of reporting physical aggression. “Intervention studies should assess whether strategies that modify context factors (e.g., campaigns to tackle the roots of low perceptions of staffing and resource adequacy, or to increase work autonomy) should also facilitate aggression reduction,” the researchers wrote. “Since our study points to the higher exposure of care workers on [special care units] to aggressive behavior, it is vital to choose care workers whose personal characteristics best match the needs of specialized units, and to adequately train and supervise them in aggression management.” Brian Ellis is a freelance writer and editor based in NJ.