SEXUAL ASSAULT AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: AN EXPLORATION OF THE BLACK FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE AND ROUTINE ACTIVITY THEORY Public Deposited

Analytics

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
Request Version for Screen Reader
Last Modified
  • March 19, 2019
Creator
  • Crosby, Carmen
    • Affiliation: School of Social Work
Abstract
  • The current study explored unwanted sexual contact (USC) among African American female students (N=3,506). A subgroup analysis included participants with non-heteronormative sexuality (n=348). It was a secondary analysis of data from the 2008 HBCU-CSA Study. Complimentary principles of Black feminism and routine activity theory examined the impact of identity, culture of dissemblance, vulnerability, and sexual assault on college campuses. Four types of USC were examined - any, coerced, incapacitated, and forced. The first research question examined the characteristics and situational factors associated with USC. Hypotheses examined the effect of drinking, situational exposure to alcohol, and non-heteronormativity sexuality on USC. Demographic, educational, and prior sexual assault variables were included as controls. Logistic regression models were estimated for each type of USC. Frequency of drinking significantly increased the likelihood of all types of USC. Situational exposure to alcohol increased the likelihood of all types of USC except incapacitated. The second research question explored whether the culture of dissemblance exists among women with non-heteronormative sexuality and whether it may offer protection against various types of trauma, including sexual victimization. Bivariate analysis showed evidence of support for this hypothesis in regard to all types of USC except forced. One contribution of this study is that it expanded the typical definition of sexual assault to include both attempted and coerced assaults. Inclusion of these aspects of sexual assault have important methodological, theoretical, and clinical implications.
Date of publication
Keyword
Subject
DOI
Identifier
Resource type
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Advisor
  • Roberts, Amelia C.
  • Bowen, Natasha
  • Pleasants, Robert
  • Zimmer, Catherine
  • Carlton-LaNey, Iris
Degree
  • Doctor of Philosophy
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School
Graduation year
  • 2014
Language
Publisher
Place of publication
  • Chapel Hill, NC
Access
  • There are no restrictions to this item.
Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
Crosby_unc_0153D_14997.pdf 2019-04-10 Public