Abstract
Abstract
Sexual assault or coercion is a pervasive problem on college campuses. The confluence model of sexual aggression identifies two pathways that can independently or synergistically predict sexual coercion. One pathway in the model is between sexual aggression and hostile masculinity or hypermasculinity, which is defined as an exaggerated adherence to traditional male gender role beliefs. Prior research has noted witnessing or experiencing abuse as a child and associating with delinquent peers creates an environment that teaches men to treat women as objects. However, most research has focused on one type of victimization, primarily childhood sexual abuse in isolation, rather than the effects of cumulative victimization (or polyvictimization) in understanding the broad effects of victimization. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of polyvictimization on the confluence model for sexual aggression in a college male sample. It is hypothesized that more hypermasculine attitudes among college males would mediate the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and sexual coercive behaviors. Participants were 99 undergraduate male students from a large Southeastern University. The bootstrapping analysis revealed that hypermasculinity mediated the relationship between polyvictimization and coercive sexual behavior. The results reveal an additional tertiary factor to consider in the expansion of the confluence model for sexual aggression. Furthermore, the results have important policy implications for universities.
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