NCJ Number
57455
Journal
Adolescence Volume: 14 Issue: 53 Dated: (SPRING, 1979) Pages: 65-72
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
FOR THIS STUDY, INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED ON UNREPORTED SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.
Abstract
AS PREVIOUS VICTIMOLOGY RESEARCH HAS STUDIED PRIMARILY THE MOST SERIOUS ASSAULTS SUCH AS RAPE, OR ELSE EXAMINED ONLY ASSAULTS OCCURRING WITHIN THE DATING CONTEXT, THIS STUDY CONCENTRATED ON THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF SEXUAL OFFENSES: CONCERN OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF SEXUAL OFFENSES OCCURRING; INCIDENCE OF SEXUAL OFFENSES OCCURRING TO THE AGE OF 14, AND THEN AFTER THE AGE OF 14; EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO SEXUAL OFFENSES; REPORTING OF SEXUAL OFFENSES; RELATIONSHIP OF VICTIM TO OFFENDER; AND INCIDENCE OF PUBLIC NUISANCE OFFENSES SUCH AS OBSCENE PHONE CALLS, EXHIBITIONISM, OR BEING FOLLOWED. THE SAMPLE OF 103 FEMALES STUDENTS WERE ALL ENROLLED IN UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL SCIENCE CLASSES, AND WERE IN EITHER THE FIRST OR SECOND YEAR OF THE UNIVERSITY. CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED DURING THE REGULAR CLASS PERIOD. AS VICTIMS OF AT LEAST ONE SEXUAL OFFENSE, 84 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY, WITH 25 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE HAVING EXPERIENCED ONE OF THESE OFFENSES, AND 42 PERCENT HAVING EXPERIENCED TWO OR THREE OF THE OFFENSES. VERY FEW INDICATED THAT THEY HAD REPORTED THE OFFENSES TO OFFICIAL AUTHORITIES; ONLY 16 PERCENT OF THE ATTEMPTED RAPE VICTIMS SAID THEY HAD REPORTED THE OFFENSE. A MAJOR FINDING WAS THAT THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF SEXUAL OFFENSE WAS THE OBSCENE PHONE CALL, WITH 61 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS HAVING RECEIVED THIS TYPE OF CALL. ALTHOUGH THIS OFFENSE CAN CAUSE GREAT EMOTIONAL DISTRESS IN THE VICTIM, THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF RESEARCH IN THIS AREA. OVERALL, SEXUAL OFFENSES ARE MORE COMMON THAN IS GENERALLY BELIEVED, AND FURTHER RESEARCH IS RECOMMENDED. TABLES SUPPLEMENT THE TEXT AND FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (MHP)