Considering the Impact of High School Sexual Education on Past Sexual Victimization and Rape Myth Acceptance in a College Sample

Abstract

Sexual victimization is a serious public health crisis affecting college students, with high rates reported among both women and men. Sexual consent education is crucial as it defines sexual assault and is linked to reduced risk of victimization. Rape myths and stereotyped beliefs shifting blame to survivors are established risk factors for sexual violence. Comprehensive sexual education can mitigate these attitudes, fostering a supportive environment for survivors. However, most high school students in the United States receive abstinence-based or abstinence-plus education, which uses unstandardized protocols and often lacks information about sexual consent. The following study explores the influence of high school sexual education on past sexual victimization and rape myth acceptance in college students. Six hundred sixty-four undergraduate students participated in an online survey through a university participant pool. Results show that those who received comprehensive sexual education were more likely to understand sexual consent and were less likely to endorse past sexual victimization. In contrast, students without comprehensive sexual education reported lower satisfaction with their sexual education and greater acceptance of rape myths. Despite limitations in the study’s sample and reliance on self-reporting, this research highlights the importance of implementing comprehensive sexual education, including consent education, in high schools. Policymakers and educators must recognize the influence of comprehensive sexual education in promoting healthy relationships and combating sexual assault. As a significant public health concern, incorporating standardized sexual consent education into high school curricula can equip students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their sexual health and relationships. Future research should explore diverse populations and the mediating role of related factors that may further influence these relationships. These efforts will contribute to fostering a safer environment within educational institutions and combating sexual assault.

Keywords

sexual assault adult victims date rape sexual harassment

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Canan

S. N.

Jozkowski

K. N.

Crawford

B. L.

(2018). Sexual assault supportive attitudes: Rape myth acceptance and token resistance in Greek and non-Greek college students from two university samples in the United States. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33(22), 3502–3530. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516636064

Cantor

Fisher

Chibnall

Townsend

Lee

Bruce

Thomas

(2015). Report on the AAU campus climate survey on sexual assault and sexual misconduct. Association of American Universities. http://www.aau.edu/

Cohen

M. A.

Miller

T. R.

(1996). Cost of Mental Health Care for Victims of Crime in the United States, 1991: Archival Version [Data set]. ICPSR - Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR06581

Dworkin

E. R

. (2020). Risk for mental disorders associated with sexual assault: A meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(5), 1011–1028. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838018813198

Eisenstein

(2020, March 5). Lack of state sex ed regulation puts students in danger of receiving harmful lessons, report finds. SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change. https://siecus.org/state-profiles-2019-announcement/

Fisher

B. S.

Peterson

Cantor

Townsend

Sun

(2016). Characteristics of Nonconsensual Sexual Contact Incidents: Penetration and Sexual Touching by Force or While Incapacitated. 174.

Griffin

L. J.

(2021). The effect of sex education programs on rape culture. 54.

Guttmacher Institute (2021, June 1). Federally Funded Sex Education: Strengthening and Expanding Evidence-Based Programs. Retrieved May 31, 2024, from https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/sex-education

Himelein

M. J.

(1995). Risk factors for sexual victimization in dating: A longitudinal study of college women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19(1), 31–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1995.tb00277.x

10.

Humphreys

Herold

(2007). Sexual consent in heterosexual relationships: Development of a new measure. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 57(3–4), 305–315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9264-7

11.

Jozkowski

K. N.

Manning

Hunt

(2018). Sexual consent in and out of the bedroom: disjunctive views of heterosexual college students. Women’s Studies in Communication, 41(2), 117–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/07491409.2018.1470121

12.

Jozkowski

K. N.

Peterson

Z. D.

(2013). College students and sexual consent: Unique insights. Journal of Sex Research, 50(6), 517–523. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.700739

13.

Jozkowski

K. N.

Peterson

Z. D.

Sanders

S. A.

Dennis

Reece

(2014). Gender differences in heterosexual college students’ conceptualizations and indicators of sexual consent: Implications for contemporary sexual assault prevention education. Journal of Sex Research, 51(8), 904–916. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2013.792326

14.

Kaiser Family Foundation (2018, June 1). Abstinence Education Programs: Definition, Funding, and Impact on Teen Sexual Behavior. Retrieved May 31, 2024, from https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/abstinence-education-programs-definition-funding-and-impact-on-teen-sexual-behavior/

15.

Kantor

L. M.

Santelli

J. S.

Teitler

Balmer

(2008). Abstinence-only policies and programs: An overview. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 5(3), 6. https://doi.org/10.1525/srsp.2008.5.3.6

16.

Kennedy

A. C.

Prock

K. A.

(2016). “I still feel like i am not normal”: A review of the role of stigma and stigmatization among female survivors of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Trauma, Violence & Abuse, 19(5), 512–527. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838016673601

17.

Kirby

D. B.

Laris

B. A.

Rolleri

L. A.

(2007). Sex and HIV education programs: Their impact on sexual behaviors of young people throughout the world. The Journal of Adolescent Health: Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 40(3), 206–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.11.143

18.

Koss

M. P.

Abbey

Campbell

Cook

Norris

Testa

Ullman

West

White

(2007). Revising the SES: A collaborative process to improve assessment of sexual aggression and victimization. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 31(4), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.2007.00385.x

19.

McMahon

Farmer

G. L.

(2011). An updated measure for assessing subtle rape myths. Social Work Research, 35(2), 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/35.2.71

20.

McQuiller Williams

Porter

J. L.

Smith

T. R

. (2016). Understanding date rape attitudes and behaviors: Exploring the influence of race, gender, and prior sexual victimization. Victims & Offenders, 11(2), 173–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2014.960025

21.

Miles

Valentine

J. L.

Mabey

Downing

N. R.

(2022). Mental illness as a vulnerability for sexual assault: A retrospective study of 7,455 sexual assault forensic medical examinations. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 18(3), 131–138. https://doi.org/10.1097/JFN.0000000000000361

22.

Molstad

T. D.

Weinhardt

J. M.

Jones

(2023). Sexual assault as a contributor to academic outcomes in university: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(1), 218–230. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211030247

23.

Muehlenhard

C. L.

Humphreys

T. P.

Jozkowski

K. N.

Peterson

Z. D.

(2016). The complexities of sexual consent among college students: A conceptual and empirical review. Journal of Sex Research, 53(4–5), 457–487. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1146651

24.

National Opinion Research Center. (2015). Consent survey results summary. University of Chicago. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/1414/6117/4323/Consent_Survey.pdf?_ga=2.74021457.2139574629.1643087449-202061218.1643087449

25.

Nurgitz

Pacheco

R. A.

Senn

C. Y.

Hobden

K. L.

(2021). The impact of sexual education and socialization on sexual satisfaction, attitudes, and self-efficacy. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 30(2), 265–277. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2021-0028

26.

Payne

D. L.

Lonsway

K. A.

Fitzgerald

L. F.

(1999). Rape myth acceptance: Exploration of its structure and its measurement using theIllinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale. Journal of Research in Personality, 33(1), 27–68. https://doi.org/10.1006/jrpe.1998.2238

27.

Rye

B. J.

Mashinter

Meaney

G. J.

Wood

Gentile

(2015). Satisfaction with previous sexual health education as a predictor of intentions to pursue further sexual health education. Sex Education, 15(1), 93–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2014.967389

28.

Santelli

J. S.

Grilo

S. A.

Choo

T.-H.

Diaz

Walsh

Wall

Hirsch

J. S.

Wilson

P. A.

Gilbert

Khan

Mellins

C. A.

(2018). Does sex education before college protect students from sexual assault in college? PLoS One, 13(11), e0205951. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205951

29.

Siegel

D. M.

Klein

D. I.

Roghmann

K. J.

(1999). Sexual behavior, contraception, and risk among college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 25(5), 336–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(99)00054-3

30.

Siegel

J. A.

Williams

L. M.

(2003). Risk factors for sexual victimization of women: Results from a prospective study. Violence Against Women, 9(8), 902–930. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801203255130

31.

Thomas

J. C.

Kopel

(2023). Male victims of sexual assault: A review of the literature. Behavioral Sciences, 13(4), 304. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13040304

32.

Ullman

S. E.

Peter-Hagene

(2014). Social reactions to sexual assault disclosure, coping, perceived control and PTSD symptoms in sexual assault victims. Journal of Community Psychology, 42(4), 495–508. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.21624

33.

Willis

Jozkowski

K. N.

Read

, (2018). Sexual consent in K–12 sex education: an analysis of current health education standards in the United States. Sex Education, 19(2), 226–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2018.1510769

34.

Weathers

F. W.

Litz

B. T.

Keane

T. M.

Palmieri

P. A.

Marx

B. P.

Schnurr

P. P.

(2013). The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) [General Information]. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/assessment/adult-sr/ptsd-checklist.asp

35.

Yapp

E. J.

Quayle

(2018). A systematic review of the association between rape myth acceptance and male-on-female sexual violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 41, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.05.002