University students detail unwanted sexual experiences

The Africa News.Net
Sunday 11th May, 2008

A new report from the University of New Hampshire has detailed the unwanted sexual experiences among university students.

The study showed that the vast majority of incidents at the university are perpetrated by someone the victim knows, which is in direct contrast to the stereotype of the perpetrator being a stranger.

More than 2,400 undergraduate students were surveyed in the 2005-2006 academic year.

Overall, unwanted sexual contact occurs where students live, in the context of social events, and often alcohol is involved.

The vast majority of incidents occur between UNH students and a perpetrator who is an acquaintance.

Of the female victims surveyed, 85 percent report that someone they know committed the unwanted sexual intercourse.

Based on the responses, the researchers estimate that about half of these incidents involved force or the threat of force.

While there are similarities in the unwanted sexual experiences for men and women, the report authors note a number of contrasts.

They found that the association of alcohol to an unwanted sexual experience is higher for women; women tend to be victimized by an acquaintance or friend while men are victimized by a date or romantic partner; and male victims are more likely than females to be victimized by a same-sex perpetrator.

Although incidents of both unwanted contact and unwanted intercourse declined from 1988 to 2000, since 2000 there has been little change in the percentage of students reporting these experiences.

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