Study: 10% of US Youths Cause Sexual Violence -Females are just as likely to be perpetrator as males

[The Straight Story]

Study: 10 Percent of U.S. Youths Cause Sexual Violence
Females are just as likely to be perpetrators as males.


When you think rapist, you probably think of an adult male lurking in an alley and preying upon young women.

Not so fast, according to a new study published in today's JAMA Pediatrics that overturns many commonly held beliefs about sexual violence.

...

What they found was startling: Nearly 10 percent of survey respondents reported perpetrating some form of sexual violence in their lifetime, with 4 percent reporting attempted or completed rape.

Not a Boy's Game

...

"Not long ago, males were asked the perpetrator questions and females were asked the victim questions," Ybarra noted. "We never appreciated the fact that males could be victims and females could be perpetrators.

&quot This study) highlights the importance of asking both sexes both questions."

Females and males have carried out sexual violence at nearly equal levels by the age of 18—48 percent on the female side, 52 percent on the male side, according to the study. Interestingly, females tend to assault older victims, while males are more likely to choose younger victims. Females are also more likely to engage in "gang rape" types of activity and act in groups or teams (1 in 5 females reported this type of activity, compared with 1 in 39 males).

...

"Foresexual contact is similar for females and males," Ybarra said, with females slightly edging out males in this category (52 percent and 47 percent, respectively).

"But when you get into coercive and attempted rape, it does seem to differ"—with males committing 75 percent of these crimes, compared with 25 percent committed by females.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131007-sexual-violence-rape-teenagers-sociology/

[KittyWampus]

1. Girls attack older victims/boys attack younger.

Females and males have carried out sexual violence at nearly equal levels by the age of 18—48 percent on the female side, 52 percent on the male side, according to the study. Interestingly, females tend to assault older victims, while males are more likely to choose younger victims. Females are also more likely to engage in "gang rape" types of activity and act in groups or teams (1 in 5 females reported this type of activity, compared with 1 in 39 males).


Researchers aren't sure if this pattern is because of differences in developmental trajectories between males and females.

[KittyWampus]

2. They also explore violence in video games/media.

Violent Video Games to Blame?

Although the authors point to video games and X-rated media content as factors, they are cautious about linking sexual violence to an increasingly violent media.

"We certainly are not claiming causation," Ybarra said. "We're not saying that sexual violence is caused by violent media or vice versa. But one of the primary aims of the study is to understand the linkages between media and behavior."

And the link is undeniably strong, said Ybarra.

The researchers examined whether there were differences between X-rated material and violent X-rated material that included one person being hurt in some way. They first asked whether the subjects had viewed X-rated material. If the answer was yes, a follow-up question was asked—had the person also viewed violent X-rated material?

"Violent X-rated material has more of an effect," Ybarra said. "When you look at the rate of those that say yes , 17 percent who said yes were perpetrators versus 3 percent ."

Compare that wide gap with their finding that 34 percent of nonperpetrators and 37 percent of perpetrators had viewed nonviolent X-rated material.

[leftstreet]

3. Meh. It's from a 'survey'

What were the questions?

Sounds hinky