Consent Attitudes Research Articles

Sexual consent attitudes mediate gender differences in responsibility attributions for a heterosexual date rape scenario

ABSTRACT Past research has revealed that men are more likely than women to hold victims responsible for sexual violence, whereas women attribute more responsibility to the perpetrator than men. This study examined whether awareness of sexual violence in society can reduce gender differences in responsibility attributions and whether pre-existing gender differences in sexual consent attitudes can explain gender differences in responsibility attributions. To this end, participants (N = 668; 482 women) read a date-rape vignette and answered questions assessing their responsibility attributions to the female victim and the male perpetrator. For half of the participants, sexual violence in society was made salient through a media article prior to their responsibility attributions. Following their responsibility attributions, participants indicated their sexual consent attitudes. Supporting past findings, women attributed less responsibility to the victim and more responsibility to the perpetrator than men. Being made aware of sexual violence did not eliminate gender differences in responsibility attributions. As predicted, gender differences in responsibility attributions were linked to pre-existing gender differences in sexual consent attitudes. These results emphasise the relevance of positive attitudes about sexual consent, particularly among men, to reduce blaming victims and exonerating perpetrators.

An Exploration of Sexual Consent Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors among Middle School Students in Canada

An essential component of healthy sexual exploration is the understanding of sexual consent. Unfortunately, sexual consent is not consistently taught in sex education programs developed for adolescents. Furthermore, although early adolescence is a critical developmental period for the formation of sexual identity, norms, attitudes, and relationships, this population is underrepresented in the sexual consent literature. To fill this important gap, this study examined the sexual consent beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of 254 middle school students from a large, urban city in the province of Ontario. Correlates and predictors of sexual consent endorsement were tested via bivariate and multiple regression analyses. Greater perceived negative sanctions of dating violence and higher endorsement of gender stereotypes emerged as variables significantly related to and predictive of sexual consent attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and affirmative consent norms. Gender was also a significant correlate, as girls were more likely than boys to endorse affirmative sexual consent beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. The findings highlight important group differences and provide guidance for the design and implementation of sexual education and prevention programs.

Development of a Measure of Anti-Rape Attitudes as a Potential Protective Factor Against Rape Perpetration.

The role of attitudes toward women and sexual violence in predicting men's perpetration of rape has been well documented in the literature. While research on rape perpetration has primarily focused on identifying risk factors, the limited understanding of protective factors has hindered the development of psychometric measures to assess attitudinal protective factors. However, comprehending these protective factors is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the risk of rape perpetration and the advancement of strength-based approaches. This research describes the development of a new scale designed to measure anti-rape attitudes (ARA) in young heterosexual men. To generate the initial item pool, relevant information was gathered from sexual violence support service websites and academic literature. This item pool underwent an external expert review for further item generation and cognitive interviews for content validation. This qualitative phase was followed by four quantitative studies for item reduction and scale validation. The resulting 19-item scale demonstrates good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .84). The ARA scale exhibits strong negative correlations with rape myth acceptance (RMA) and hostile sexism, and strong positive correlations with positive consent attitudes (PCA), supporting the scale's construct validity. We further conducted hierarchical regression analyses to test the unique relationship of ARA with those constructs while controlling for RMA. These showed that ARA have significant, unique associations with PCA and ambivalent sexism. The development of this new scale enables a more comprehensive assessment of the risk of rape perpetration and opens up new avenues for research on protective factors against rape. Ultimately, this study constitutes an important step toward fostering strength-based approaches to combat sexual violence.

Intimate Partner Sexual Violence in Emerging Adulthood: Exploring Sexual Consent Attitudes as a Target for Sexual Coercion Prevention.

While intimate partner violence is now recognized as a major societal and international issue, sexual violence between partners remains understudied despite its significant prevalence rates and the specific contexts in which it occurs. The aim of this study was to analyze the links between different dimensions of sexual consent and sexual coercion experienced within intimate relationships in order to identify targets for prevention campaigns. The study was carried out during a time of transition in the sociopolitical and legislative context in Belgium linked to the implementation of a reform to the sexual criminal law, which has made the expression of sexual consent central to the qualification of sexual offenses. A total of 431 young adults (88.40% female; Mage = 22.19 years; SDage = 1.79) were recruited from the general population through an online survey to analyze the links between attitudes and beliefs toward sexual consent, attachment style, mental health, and sexual victimization between partners. Results showed that a lack of perceived behavioral control over establishing sexual consent, as well as the avoidance of intimacy, predicted sexual victimization. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed and potential public policy responses for prevention and awareness are suggested. Future research should further investigate and conceptualize sexual consent as it relates to sexual coercion in a more representative sample from an intersectional perspective.

Third-party intervention in high-risk situations in Africa: exploring factors influencing bystander intervention in sexual violence among college students

ABSTRACT In recent times, bystander intervention has become an integral part of the effort to address the high prevalence rates of sexual violence on college campuses. Bystanders put their lives at risk by preventing high-risk situations from happening. Despite their critical role, bystander intervention has not been adequately examined to understand their decision-making process. The current study examined the behaviour of bystanders from an African perspective using college student data from Ghana and Ivory Coast. Specifically, the study examined the influence of sexual consent attitudes, personality traits, sense of community, and prior experiences of sexual violence on two dimensions of bystander intervention. The results revealed that lack of behavioural control, sexual consent norms, and a sense of community influence bystanders’ decision to intervene. Also, while personality traits failed to explain bystander behaviour, experience with sexual violence did. These findings offer important insights into developing effective sexual assault programmes on campus.

Key Themes in Community Participants’ Definitions of Sexual Consent and Their Association with Sexual Consent Attitudes and Behaviours

Key Themes in Community Participants’ Definitions of Sexual Consent and Their Association with Sexual Consent Attitudes and Behaviours

Sexual consent attitudes and behaviour: Associations with sexual health education, sexual consent education, and sexual attitudes

Because many young adults do not consistently give and receive explicit consent in their sexual relationships, it is important to identify factors associated with sexual consent attitudes and behaviour. In this study, we assessed the extent to which sexual health education, sexual consent education, sexual attitudes, and perceptions of social norms were associated with sexual consent attitudes and behaviour. Participants were 196 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 25 enrolled at an eastern Canadian university. At the bivariate level, we found evidence for the importance of sexual consent education by parents, sexual attitudes, and perceptions of social norms with respect to sexual consent attitudes and behaviour. Multiple regression analyses showed that more positive perceptions of social norms, more liberal sexual attitudes, and more sexual consent education from parents were uniquely associated with lower negative attitudes towards sexual consent and more consistent use of explicit sexual consent. More positive perceptions of social norms and less sexual experience were uniquely associated with more positive sexual consent attitudes. Only perception of social norms was uniquely associated with less use of an indirect behavioural approach to establishing consent. The results are interpreted in terms of their implications for enhancing sexual consent attitudes and behaviour among young people.

Is Sexual Consent Sexy?: Investigating the Effects of a Televised Depiction of Verbal Sexual Consent on College Students’ Sexual Consent Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions

ABSTRACT Although depictions of sexual consent are rare in the media, such portrayals have the potential to instruct young people on the procedural details of sexual consent. Taking an entertainment-education (E-E) perspective, we examined the effects of a televised depiction of sexual consent that contained verbal sexual consent, versus a televised depiction that only included nonverbal sexual consent, versus a no-exposure control group to test for changes in college students’ attitudes and behavioral intentions toward sexual consent. In the pretest-posttest experimental design, those who were assigned to the nonverbal video condition reported less favorable attitudes about sexual consent between pretest and posttest. Additionally, interpersonal liking was an important facilitator of the E-E impact of the verbal sexual consent condition; the more the participants liked the characters in the verbal condition, the more positively about sexual consent they felt and the more likely they were to plan to engage in sexual consent. Narrative engagement did not mediate the effects of experimental condition on sexual consent attitudes and behavioral intentions. The implications for E-E are discussed.

Gender and sexual minority status as predictors of sexual consent attitudes among cisgender young adults

ABSTRACT Sexual consent campaigns aimed at reducing risk of sexual violence have historically been informed by research focusing almost exclusively on heterosexual young adults despite concerning rates of sexual violence committed against sexual minorities. Unfortunately, very little research has quantitatively compared how sexual consent attitudes may differ between men and women of different sexual identities. The current study attempts to help address this gap in the literature by examining how gender, sexual minority status, and the interaction of these variables contribute to sexual consent attitudes using a sample of 310 young adult cisgender participants. Sexual minority status was associated with greater perceived behavioural control over the consent process and identifying as a man predicted less awareness of consent. Gender differences in the endorsement of positive attitudes towards consent were more pronounced among heterosexual as compared to sexual minority participants. Finally, although men reported more assumptions about sexual consent than women in both sexual identity groups, the magnitude of the difference across gender was greater in the heterosexual group. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to help improve sexual assault prevention campaign efforts.

Predictors of Sexual Consent Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Among Sexual Minority Cisgender and Nonbinary Young Adults

Predictors of Sexual Consent Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Among Sexual Minority Cisgender and Nonbinary Young Adults

Sexual consent attitudes and rape‐supportive norms among gender and sexual minority students

AbstractCollege students’ views on sexual consent are developed in discussion with their peers and impacted by the traditional sexual script. This script prescribes gender roles that encourage men's coercion and facilitate victim‐blame. This heteronormative script may be less applicable to sexual minority individuals during same‐gender sexual relationships and to gender minority individuals, who often hold more fluid views on gender. We examine the consent attitudes and perceived rape‐supportive peer norms of American gender and sexual minority (GSM) college students. Using archival data from a campus climate survey (N = 2040), we conducted a series of chi‐square analyses to compare student consent attitudes and perceptions of rape‐supportive peer norms by GSM status and gender. GSM students (vs. cisgender heterosexual students) and women and nonbinary people (vs. men) reported higher support for sexual consent. Having an identity that differs from the roles prescribed in traditional sexual scripts may confer an advantage in developing prosocial views of sexual consent.

Using vignette methodology to study comfort with consensual and nonconsensual depictions of pornography content

ABSTRACT Spanking, whipping, and choking are examples of aggressive behaviours that can be performed in consensual sexual encounters. However, within the pornography research literature, such behaviours are often perceived as being nonconsensual, categorised as ‘violent’, and argued to predict sexual aggression. Viewing nonconsensual pornography may be associated with negative attitudes towards consent; however, viewing consensual pornography that features typically violent behaviour may not. In this study, we sought to more clearly distinguish between consensual and nonconsensual pornography depictions by using vignettes to examine individuals’ consent attitudes in relation to these pornographic vignettes. We also sought to assess the hypothesis that more frequent pornography engagement will be associated with greater comfort with the nonconsensual vignettes. A series of pornography vignettes were developed by the researchers and categorised by a group of sexual consent experts as ‘consensual’ or ‘nonconsensual’ vignettes during a three-round Delphi study. The finalised vignettes were administered to a convenience sample of Irish university students (n = 1121). More frequent pornography engagement was associated with greater comfort with the consensual and nonconsensual vignettes. Greater comfort with the nonconsensual pornography vignettes was negatively associated with attitudes towards establishing consent and the endorsement of sexual consent norms.

Describing the “Gray” Area of Consent: A Comparison of Sexual Consent Understanding Across the Adult Lifespan

ABSTRACT Sexual violence or misconduct can occur at any age, yet sexual consent understanding is not well studied, especially beyond early adulthood. This project aimed to describe how sexual consent is conceptualized across the adult lifespan, drawing comparisons between young, middle-aged, and older adults. Additionally, we examined variables that may differ by age group and influence sexual consent conceptualization. In a survey, young adults (n= 266), middle-aged adults (n= 236), and older adults (n= 51) were asked to define sexual consent and complete a measure on the appropriateness of giving and receiving consent in different types of sexual relationships. Participants also reported on their exposure to formal sex education and their current sexual relationship status. More than half (57.4%) of participants included basic elements of a simple core definition (agreement in reference to sexual acts), and most (63.3%) expanded beyond a simple definition. Age groups differed significantly on variables expected to influence sexual consent definitions, including exposure to sexual education and sexual consent attitudes. Age group differences were not found when examining the simple core definition, but young adults and middle-aged adults differed significantly in their expansion on the definition. Sexual consent attitudes were also significantly related to the scope of the supplied definition. These findings suggest that sexual consent definitions vary in scope across at least a portion of the lifespan and that the importance placed on sexual consent may be a reasonable intervention target regardless of age differences in sexual experience and education.

The Pornography “How-To” Script: The Moderating Role of Consent Attitudes on Pornography Consumption and Sexual Refusal Assertiveness

College students report turning to pornography for guidance regarding sexual expectations and norms. Similarly, research has shown that compulsive pornography exposure (i.e. extreme amounts of viewing and dependence on pornography) leads to an engagement in risky sexual behaviors. This is problematic considering the high rates of sexual assault in college campuses. In light of this, the present study examined whether compulsive pornography exposure was associated with college students’ sexual refusal assertiveness, and whether this relationship would be moderated by consent attitudes. Data were collected from 266 college students who regularly watched pornography (Mage = 20.60, SD = 2.77, 45.1% female). Results showed that compulsive pornography exposure was negatively associated with sexual refusal assertiveness. An interaction emerged such that the association between compulsive pornography exposure and sexual refusal assertiveness was only significant for those who believed consent was less important, whereas this did not occur for those who believed consent was more important. Our results are unpacked in light of sexual script-based theories.

Understanding Adolescents’ Attitudes Toward Affirmative Consent

ABSTRACT A clear understanding of sexual consent is important for sexual violence prevention. To date, most research has focused on how college students understand and negotiate consent. Although adolescence is a critical period for the development of sexual attitudes, identity, and intimate relationships, the perspectives of high school-aged youth have been largely absent from the consent literature. The current study investigated adolescents’ attitudes toward affirmative consent in a sample of 226 high school students (58% female; 46% White, 24% Black, 25% Hispanic) from the southeastern U.S., as well as associations between affirmative consent attitudes and gender, gender role beliefs, and sexual activity status. Additionally, we tested whether gender role beliefs were a mediator between gender and affirmative consent attitudes. Overall, adolescents reported supportive attitudes toward affirmative consent. On average, girls and adolescents with more egalitarian gender role beliefs had more positive attitudes toward affirmative consent than boys and those with less egalitarian gender role beliefs, though no differences by sexual activity status were found. Gender role beliefs mediated the relationship between gender and attitudes toward affirmative consent. The results suggest that adolescents are generally supportive of affirmative consent practices, although some important group differences emerged.

Perceived Sex Education and Its Association with Consent Attitudes, Intentions, and Communication

A greater understanding of how sexual consent is learned may be important in informing interventions to decrease sexual assault and ensure pleasurable sexual experiences. This study explored the role of quality and quantity of perceived sex education in relation to sexual consent attitudes, intentions, and behavior. Greater perceived sex education was associated with positive attitudes toward consent for all participants and with intentions to obtain consent only for those with fewer years of general education. Interestingly, perceived sex education was unrelated to a test of sexual knowledge. However, objective sexual knowledge was associated with consent attitudes and behaviors.

Understanding sexual consent and nonconsensual sexual experiences in undergraduate women: The role of identification and rape myth acceptance

The current study examined how nonconsensual sexual experiences (NSE) and the self-identification of such experiences as sexual assault play a role in the relationship between rape myth acceptance and sexual consent attitudes. Undergraduate women ( N = 296) completed measures on sexual consent attitudes, their sexual experiences, and rape myth acceptance. Participants were categorized into three groups: those with no NSEs, those with NSEs who identify them as sexual assault (identifiers), and those with NSEs who do not identify them as sexual assault (non-identifiers). Multiple regression analyses to test the moderating effects of group membership on the relationship between rape myth acceptance and sexual consent attitudes were conducted. Results indicated that non-identifiers reported less positive attitudes toward establishing consent and more indirect behavioural approaches to consent than both identifiers and those with no NSE histories. Greater rape myth acceptance was significantly related to a lack of perceived behavioural control and less positive attitudes toward establishing consent in identifiers and those with no NSEs, as well as less awareness and discussion around consent in those with no NSEs. Conversely, rape myth acceptance was not significantly associated with any consent attitudes in non-identifiers. The findings suggest that NSE identification, or a lack of identification of NSEs as sexual assault, is significantly related to sexual consent attitudes that are independent of rape myth acceptance. These findings are discussed in terms of sexual violence education and prevention and future research considerations.

The Role of Hypermasculinity, Token Resistance, Rape Myth, and Assertive Sexual Consent Communication Among College Men

PurposeA greater understanding of how college men's gendered beliefs and communication styles relate to their sexual consent attitudes and intentions is essential within the shifting context of negative to affirmative consent policies on college campuses. The results of this study can be used to help design more effective sexual consent interventions. MethodsThree hundred seventy undergraduate college men completed cross-sectional online surveys. Hierarchical multiple regression examined how hypermasculinity, token resistance, rape myth acceptance, and sexual communication assertiveness were associated with consent-related attitudes, intentions, and interpretations. ResultsBivariate correlations among all variables were significant. In multivariate analyses, sexual communication assertiveness was positively associated with all consent outcomes, and token resistance and rape myth acceptance were negatively associated with some. Hypermasculinity was not a significant factor. ConclusionsPrograms seeking to improve sexual consent communication among college men should reduce destructive beliefs and encourage sexually assertive communication.

Sexual Consent in Heterosexual Relationships: Development of a New Measure

The extensive research on date rape attitudes and experiences has left sexual consent itself largely unexamined. The objective of this study was to develop a measure to assess women’s and men’s attitudes and behaviors regarding sexual consent. Using both focus groups (N = 18) and a mail survey (N = 514) of undergraduate students at a Canadian university, two scales of sexual consent were developed: (1) a Sexual Consent Attitudes Scale, and (2) a Sexual Consent Behaviors Scale. Preliminary psychometric evidence suggested good reliability and validity. As hypothesized, women, more than men, preferred a more cautious approach to sexual consent by stressing the need to obtain consent more explicitly. Multiple regression analyses supported a reciprocal relationship between sexual consent attitudes and sexual consent behaviors.