Patterns of Sexual Coercion in Heterosexual and Non-Heterosexual Men and Women

Abstract

Heterosexual sex differences in evolved sexual interests, sexual scripts, and aggressive tendencies have each been hypothesized to be responsible for heterosexual sex differences in sexually coercive behavior. The current study compared the sexually coercive behavior of heterosexual and non-heterosexual men and women as a means of evaluating the explanatory capabilities of each of these hypotheses. A total of 414 participants were asked to provide information regarding their sexual coercion perpetration behavior since puberty by using a modified version of the Sexual Experiences Survey. Participants also completed measures of masculinity, femininity, and aggressive tendencies. Heterosexual men were significantly more likely to have perpetrated physical sexual coercion than all other participant groups. However, these group differences ceased to exist after controlling for group differences in physical aggression. Also, heterosexual men were significantly more likely to have perpetrated non-physical sexual coercion than all other groups, and non-heterosexual men were significantly more likely to have perpetrated non-physical sexual coercion than heterosexual and non-heterosexual women. Only the sexual orientation difference among men ceased to exist after controlling for masculinity or physical aggression. Discussion focused on detailing which hypotheses regarding heterosexual sex differences in sexually coercive behavior were supported as well as directions for future research.