Sexual Misconduct Research Articles

Gender and Emotional Reactions to Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Councillors: An Experimental Study in a Low-information, Non-partisan Context

ABSTRACT Public accounts of gender-based violence by elected officials have become increasingly common at all levels of government. Given that media and public attention to the problem are also on the rise, it is important to understand how the public reacts to such stories as it is voters who ultimately evaluate this information and determine how it informs future voting decisions. This research note considers reactions to stories of sexual assault and harassment (SAH) in the low-information and non-partisan setting of municipal politics in the province of Ontario, Canada. Replicating and expanding upon previous studies conducted in national partisan electoral arenas in a local government context, we consider answers to a survey experiment that asked respondents how they would react when informed of a case about a local politician in their community being accused of SAH. We assess whether men and women respond differently to stories about SAH; whether reactions are conditional on councillor gender and; whether councillor gender leads to different reactions for women and men. Experimental data come from a survey of Ontarians (N = 4,000) collected at the time of the 2022 municipal elections. Results reveal that both the gender of voters and councillors affects reactions to stories of SAH.

Unveiling sextortion in sport: a global inquiry into the nexus of sexual violence, abuse of power, and corruption for enhanced safeguarding

Sextortion, a distinct form of sexual misconduct intersects with both sexual violence and corruption. Within the sphere of sport, marked by inherent power differentials and hierarchical structures, cases of sexual abuse and corruption persist, with sextortion emerging as a concerning manifestation of these pervasive issues. While sextortion shares commonalities with other forms of sexual abuse, such as harassment and assault, a distinguishing feature lies in how coercion is leveraged through authority or power imbalances. Unlike more overt forms of abuse, sextortion often involves subtle or implicit threats, where compliance is sought in exchange for perceived privileges or opportunities within the sporting environment. Leveraging Institutional Theory and Applied Ethics, this study aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of sextortion in sport. Despite increasing awareness, research on sextortion in sport remains limited. Previous studies lack data specific to this elusive misconduct, primarily relying on empirical data related to sexual abuse. This study represents the first empirical investigation into sextortion in sport, drawing on data collected from 49 countries and endeavours to quantifiably communicate the scale of sextortion. Through data analysis of over 500 elite athletes, community sport practitioners, and sport industry professionals aged 17 and above, the research sheds light on experiences related to abuses of entrusted power for sexual gain. Results found 20% (n = 96) of global respondents experienced sextortion, including 37 minors at the time of the incident, encompassing diverse genders, abilities, and identities. Sextortion was identified across 41 of the 49 surveyed nationalities and within 19 of 26 sport categories from grassroots to elite levels. This research deepens the understanding of sport-related sextortion and underscores the importance of addressing this pervasive issue through further theoretical and empirical inquiry. It emphasises the critical role of good governance, clear safeguarding protocols, increased awareness of power dynamics, consent, and the importance of diverse regional data in effectively combating sextortion in the sporting domain.

Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Description of Electronic Communication Use

ABSTRACT While media reports of educator sexual misconduct (ESM) often note educators’ use of electronic communication, few have systematically explored electronic communication use in ESM. This study describes educators who use electronic communication when committing sexual misconduct and the nature of this communication. The author inductively and deductively coded Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board disciplinary action records (N = 74) to descriptively and statistically analyze electronic communication use by educator characteristics. In this sample, most educators used electronic communication and committed misconduct both in-person and through electronic means. Educators who were male, taught middle school, or held a Rank III certification more often committed misconduct solely through electronic communication. Future research recommendations and ESM prevention, such as proactive policies and trainings targeting electronic communication, are discussed.

The Predictive Value of Criminogenic Needs on Institutional Misconduct in a Dutch Forensic Hospital.

According to the Risk-Need-Responsivity model, criminogenic needs are important in predicting violent behavior. Eight criminogenic needs are considered strong predictors: history of antisocial behavior, antisocial personality traits, criminal attitudes, criminal associates, substance abuse, family problems, poor work performance, and lack of involvement in prosocial leisure/recreation activities. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether seven criminogenic needs predict institutional misconduct in the first year of admission of Dutch patients who were admitted to a forensic hospital. Hospital records of 234 male patients were used to retrieve criminogenic needs assessed with the HCR-20V3, with exception of criminal associates which was coded based on file review. The frequency of institutional misconduct was rated for verbal aggression, physical aggression, and sexual aggression. Exploratory analyses examined whether there was a (predictive) relation between psychopathy facets (PCL-R factors) and HCR-20V3 clinical and risk management scales, and institutional misconduct. This study finds that criminogenic needs did not predict physical and sexual institutional misconduct, but a history of antisocial behavior and criminal attitudes were negative predictors for verbal aggression. Psychopathy facets and HCR-20V3 scales did not predict institutional misconduct.

Supportive Touch in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy

In August 2024, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected Lykos Therapeutics, Inc.'s new drug application for midomafetamine with psychological intervention (MDMA-AT) to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Among the many issues raised during review was concern about a highly publicized case of alleged sexual misconduct by an unlicensed therapist during a Phase 2 study of MDMA and the potential risk of future abuse. This incident of misconduct, along with several other publicized cases of misconduct by guides, facilitators, and shaman offering psychedelic retreats, has raised the question of whether physical contact is ever appropriate during psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). Drawing on research about supportive touch in other clinical contexts and taking into consideration features of psychedelics that exacerbate the potential for harm associated with supportive touch, we advocate for a precautionary approach to harm-reduction while arguing that supportive touch ought not be thrown out whole-cloth.

The subterranean masculinities of elite private boys’ schools

ABSTRACT The #metoo movement has led to countless revelations of sexual misconduct across the globe. Schools have not been immune from such allegations and elite private boys’ schools in particular have featured prominently. In this paper, we explore the recollections of alumni from elite private schools in Australia and analyse the ways in which they were socialised by everyday schooling practices and forms of schoolboy homosociality. This paper approaches these socialities through Foucault’s notion of heterotopias and advances understandings of how profane schoolboy cultures have persisted despite societal changes in the gender order. We contend that elite private boys’ school practices energise modes of peer-relating that are more dangerous than they appear on the surface, because profane incidents can be hidden by myth-making that accompanies the taboo, but also by the ability of subterranean practice to make those admitted to these social niches as well as bystanders complicit in its construction.

Challenges of Corporate Misconduct: The Organisational, Social, Economic and Financial Dynamics of Workplace Sexual Harassment in the Restaurant Industry in the USA

This case study inquiry examines the systemic nature of sexual harassment within the restaurant industry, catalyzed by the recent public disclosure of allegations against “The Best Restaurant Group” involving its founder and senior executives. It highlights the pervasive and structural issues contributing to workplace harassment in this sector, characterized by hierarchical systems and demanding environments that often enable misconduct. Unlike previous studies focusing only on theoretical approaches to sexual harassment, this research adopts real-world and practical approaches, such as analyzing workplace policies and exploring current research, to understand the unique vulnerabilities of the restaurant industry and the broader implications for employee well-being and organizational stability. The research also offers insights into how these dynamics manifest in practice, by providing specific examples of harassment incidents and their impact on the workplace. The global, social, and economic challenges arising from corporate misconduct in interconnected industries reveal how such issues transcend organizational boundaries, amplifying their impact on supply chains, consumer trust, and labor dynamics. Through root cause analysis, the study identifies systemic challenges, including power imbalances, ineffective policies, and cultural norms, that perpetuate sexual misconduct, providing a nuanced understanding of the interplay between leadership styles, hierarchical structures, and operational inefficiencies. By examining a real-world case study, the research offers insights into how these dynamics manifest in practice, contributing to actionable strategies for fostering a safer, more respectful workplace. The findings underscore the critical role of leadership and organizational culture in mitigating harassment, revealing that top-down attitudes significantly influence workplace behavior and employee protection. The study emphasizes the need for comprehensive prevention programs that integrate legal frameworks, policy reforms, and cultural shifts to address these systemic issues effectively. Furthermore, it demonstrates the global significance of aligning corporate practices with evolving societal expectations, particularly in a digitized and democratized world where corporate misconduct faces increasing scrutiny. These insights reflect broader social and economic challenges as organizations must navigate rising legal and reputational risks while ensuring equitable treatment and sustainability in a competitive global marketplace. This research not only identifies the tangible and intangible costs of harassment on organizational performance and financial stability but also provides a roadmap for implementing interventions that prioritize equity and ethical governance. Ultimately, it inspires hope by contributing to bridging the gap between theoretical insights and practical applications, offering a robust framework for addressing workplace harassment in the restaurant industry and beyond, and showing that positive change is possible.

Educator-To-Student Sexual Harassment in UK and Irish Secondary Schools: A Qualitative Analysis

ABSTRACT The current study examines the way sexual harassment, a specific facet of educator sexual misconduct, is experienced by secondary school students. The qualitative component of an online survey was completed by participants aged 18+ who had attended secondary school in Ireland (n = 85) or the UK (n = 74), and who were recruited to participate via social media. Participants were asked to describe the incident of educator-student sexual harassment they experienced that had the greatest effect on them. Data were analyzed using a deductive approach to thematic analysis and coded into topic summary themes using Fitzgerald’s (1995) sexual harassment victimization measure and its respective sexual harassment categories. We also produced an additional theme—the context of sexual harassment. Collectively, these findings can inform educational policies and reporting processes for educator-student sexual harassment, to ultimately support the safety and well-being of all students.

BISEKSUAL SEBAGAI ALASAN PERCERAIAN PERSPEKTIF MAQASHID SYARI’AH (Studi Putusan Pengadilan Agama Balikpapan Nomor: 162/Pdt.G/2023/PA.Bpp)

Bisexuals in Law no. 1974 concerning marriage and KHI cannot be used as the cause of marriage dissolution. However, the Balikpapan Religious Court Number: 162/Pdt.G/2023/PA.Bpp granted the Plaintiff's lawsuit stating that the reason for the lawsuit was sexual disorders. This research aims to analyze the considerations of the Balikpapan Religious Court judge in granting a divorce lawsuit due to sexual disorders and the maqashid sharia view of bisexuals. This research uses the library research method, which is a data collection technique by reviewing various scientific sources, such as: journals, laws and others. The results of this research are first, it is not correct if the main cause of divorce is sexual misconduct. Therefore, PA Balikpapan concluded that the case above which was the main factor in divorce was constant fighting. Although it cannot be denied that the cause of the quarrel is sexual disorders. Second, bisexuals have violated the concept of maqashid sharia in the hifzu al-din section, namely violating the provisions of the Qur'an and sunnah, then bisexuals also violate hifzu an-nafs, namely causing AIDS, and finally violating the concept of hifzu al-nasl. Key Word: bisexuals, religious courts

Characterizing Referrals to Professional Health Monitoring Programs for Unprofessional Sexual Behavior.

Concerns about sexual misconduct by health care professionals have been highlighted by recent high-profile cases. Professional health monitoring programs (PHPs) offer an additional layer of protection when health care professionals with a history of unprofessional sexual behavior (USB) return to practice; however, little is known about the characteristics or outcomes of clinicians referred to a PHP because of USB. Data were extracted from over 35 years of PHP records involving USB-related referrals (N = 570). The majority of cases were deemed ineligible for PHP monitoring and handled by other entities (e.g., licensing board, legal system). Of the 232 monitored cases (46.84 ± 9.42 years; 95.7% male), most were physicians (n = 156, 67.2%), with 75.9 percent of monitored cases involving USB with at least one patient. Most (74.9%) PHP monitoring outcomes were classified as "successful" or "very successful." Only three individuals (1.3%) who completed their monitoring were rereferred to the PHP. Monitored professionals exhibited less severe USB and were less likely to experience legal or disciplinary consequences (57.3% versus 69.8%, Cramer's V = .174, p < .0001) compared with unmonitored professionals. Findings enhance transparency of the PHP process and highlight its utility in safely returning clinicians to practice. Results may inform policies to prevent USB by health care professionals.

Hidden and manifested authority abuse: Sexual misconduct of female Arabs by Jewish males in the Israeli academia

For female Arab student citizens of Israel, Israeli academia can become a violently unsafe site that reflects its racist reality. Our article addresses stories told by two Arab-Palestinian female students about sexual misconduct they experienced from Jewish males. Reading these stories through critical race theory, intersectionality and settler colonialism theory, we argue that these cases echo and represent the unequal gender, ethnic and national power relations in Israeli society. In the first account, a female Arab student was offered academic help by one of her Jewish male peers, which quickly turned into a case of sexual misconduct. She refused to report it, fearing social sanctions. In the second story, the student experienced forced courtship by a member of staff but did not file a complaint fearing to jeopardise the services she was entitled to. In both stories, the Jewish men were aware of and exploited the patriarchal and national oppression faced by the Arab female students. We argue that the victims’ wish to hide the sexual offences is both a result of their lack of agency in the face of Israeli racist and colonial discourse and an act of resistance against that discourse.

Breaking the brick wall of silence: witnessing sexual misconduct in academia

Breaking the brick wall of silence: witnessing sexual misconduct in academia

“You just feel re-violated”: coercive sexual control in juvenile detention

Abstract Despite political calls on the state to “protect the children” from sexual violence, feminist scholars argue the state itself reproduces routine gender-based violence toward incarcerated communities, including youth. Building upon this work, I draw from twenty-three life history interviews with formerly incarcerated cis- and transgender men and women survivors to show how carceral norms facilitate a system of coercive sexual control. I define coercive sexual control as the policies, practices, and social relations that create the context for routine sexual violence and institutional harm toward youth. Coercive sexual control includes the sexual degradation of youth bodies, the underground economy of sexual favors, and the institutional denial of sexual harm. A theory of coercive sexual control shifts attention from sexual violence as solely interpersonal and episodic to the broader institutional mechanisms of power and social control that produce sexual exploitation against youth under the carceral state. Centering carceral institutions as sites of endemic sexual violence further unearths crucial discrepancies between institutional claims of prioritizing children’s sexual safety “on the books” and gaslighting youth claims of sexual misconduct in everyday practice.

Corruption and Early Chief Constables in the County of Roxburgh: Sexual Misconduct, Thefts, Desertion and a ‘Disreputable Drunkard’

This article addresses a subject that has not been examined by scholars: the extent of corruption in early Scottish chief constables. Three men placed in charge of their forces in the county of Roxburgh between 1861 and 1902 succumbed to corruption. There are striking similarities in the backgrounds of the men: they were all married men, experienced police leaders, highly regarded by their previous forces and successful in their new roles. James McMaster abused his position of power to cajole a young constable into a homosexual relationship, Daniel Munro deserted the force with a married woman and John Macdonald experienced alcohol abuse issues. All three men stole from their force. The research presented here is grounded in primary sources ranging from police records, police commissioners’ minute books, the reports of the Inspector of Constabulary, the private correspondence of the duke of Buccleuch and local newspapers. The article describes the circumstances whereby their crimes were revealed and the reaction of their police commissioners. It also poses an important question: if this examination of one small rural county uncovers such a high level of criminality, how widespread was corruption amongst Scotland's early police leaders?

Sexual Misconduct Prevention Education and Reporting to Title IX Coordinators Among College Students

ABSTRACT The present study uses data from the 2019 Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey. Among student victim-survivors who reported their experience (Unweighted n = 11, 644), we examined the relationship between sexual misconduct training, the content of training, and reporting to Title IX coordinators versus to another campus designated program/resource. Logistic regression results showed that training in general is not related to reporting to Title IX coordinators; however, training content, inclusive of the definition of sexual misconduct and where to seek help, was associated with increased odds of reporting to Title IX coordinators versus to another campus designated program/resource. Implications are discussed.

Climate survey shows decrease in sexual violence — but may be incomplete picture

A new climate survey of 10 colleges and universities across the country reported a decrease in sexual violence across all demographics — but experts caution that the results may be flawed. The survey, titled the “Higher Education Sexual Misconduct and Awareness” survey, involved 10 institutions from February to May 2024.

Sextortion in Sport

Sextortion, a form of sexual misconduct, entails the abuse of power to obtain sexual benefits, simultaneously rendering it an act of corruption. In sports, where power imbalances and hierarchical structures are common, sextortion is a growing issue. It often includes subtle or implicit threats, seeking compliance in exchange for privileges or opportunities. Despite growing awareness, research on sextortion in sports remains scarce. This study uses institutional theory and applied ethics to explore its key elements: the abuse of power and the improper obtention of sexual acts. The findings highlight the need for good governance, strong safeguarding protocols, and greater awareness of power dynamics, consent, and coercion. This research seeks to raise recognition among stakeholders and stresses the urgent need for prevention measures, guiding future policies and studies.

Boundaries in Search of Boundaries: Establishing Parameters for Physician Sexual Misconduct

Sexual boundary violations by physicians are receiving increased public awareness as a result of disturbing, high-profile cases of abuse and assault. In the area of sexual relations with current patients, rules prohibiting such conduct are both clear and justified. In contrast, rules governing sexual relations between physicians and former patients and between physicians and the relatives of patients vary considerably among jurisdictions and among specialties in an illogical and often unjust patchwork. This article calls for a reassessment of such rules with an emphasis on consistency among jurisdictions, uniformity among specialties, and an operationalizable system for permitting some such relationships in a manner that balances the goals of protecting vulnerable parties and upholding their autonomy.

Book Review: Celebrity Rhetoric and Sexual Misconduct Cases: Discursive Self-Cleaving by Andrea McDonnell

Book Review: <i>Celebrity Rhetoric and Sexual Misconduct Cases: Discursive Self-Cleaving</i> by Andrea McDonnell

Short-Term Outcomes of a Healthy Relationship Intervention for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault in the US Military: Pilot Pretest-Postest Study.

Sexual harassment (SH) and sexual assault (SA) are serious public health problems among US service members. Few SH and SA prevention interventions have been developed exclusively for the military. Code of Respect (X-CoRe) is an innovative web-based, multilevel, SA and SH intervention designed exclusively for the active-duty Air Force. The program's goal is to increase Airmen's knowledge and skills to build and maintain respectful relationships, ultimately reducing SH and SA and enhancing Airmen's overall well-being and mission readiness. This pilot study aimed to assess the short-term psychosocial impact (eg, knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy) of the web-based component of X-CoRe on a sample of junior enlisted and midlevel Airmen. Airmen from a military installation located in the Northeastern United States were recruited to complete the 10 web-based modules in X-CoRe (9/15, 60% male; 7/15, 54% aged 30-35 years). Participants were given pretests and posttests to measure short-term psychosocial outcomes associated with SH and SA. Descriptive statistics and paired 2-tailed t tests were conducted to assess differences from preintervention to postintervention time points. After completing X-CoRe, participants had a significantly greater understanding of active consent (P=.04), confidence in their healthy relationship skills (P=.045), and confidence to intervene as bystanders (P=.01). Although not statistically significant (P>.05), mean scores in attitudes about SH, couple violence, and cyberbullying; perceptions of sexual misconduct as part of military life; and relationship skills self-efficacy with a romantic partner and friend also improved. The findings from this study demonstrate X-CoRe's effectiveness in improving critical determinants of SH and SA, making it a promising intervention for SH and SA prevention. More rigorous research is needed to determine X-CoRe's impact on SH and SA victimization and the long-term impact on associated psychosocial determinants.