Psychology ETDs
Publication Date
Winter 12-5-2024
Abstract
Bisexual women are twice as likely to report sexual assault as heterosexual women (Seabrook et al., 2018). Research is needed to examine whether men’s perceptions of bisexual women’s sexual interest and behavior differ, as such are relevant to decision-making processes. This study examined whether constructs of sexual aggression models were associated with greater perceived sexual availability and justification for sexual coercion of a bisexual woman relative to a heterosexual woman. Participants were heterosexual undergraduate men (N=117) who read a hypothetical vignette in which the sexual orientation of the woman was described as either bisexual or heterosexual. Binary logistic regressions revealed that acceptance of interpersonal violence and sexual dominance (SD) were associated with justifications for sexual coercion. SD, rape myth acceptance, and hostility towards women were associated with judgments of the woman’s behavior. Future prospective research is needed to illuminate the mechanisms that increase bisexual women’s risk for sexual assault.
Degree Name
Psychology
Level of Degree
Masters
Department Name
Psychology
First Committee Member (Chair)
Elizabeth Yeater, PhD
Second Committee Member
Jane Ellen Smith, PhD
Third Committee Member
Kamilla Venner, PhD
Keywords
bisexual women; sexual aggression; perceptions; sexual availability
Document Type
Thesis
Recommended Citation
Sheffield, Alexis. "College Men's Propensity for Sexual Aggression and Perceived Justification for Sexual Coercion against Heterosexual and Bisexual College Women." (2024). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/psy_etds/493
