DOI: 10.3886/icpsr37450
title: Identifying Sexual Assault Mechanisms Among Diverse Women, New York State, 2016-2017
title: Archival Version

description: This study offers novel insights into mechanisms associated with sexual assault (SA) among sexual minority women (SMW). Experiences of bias and stigma contribute to lower rates of SA reporting by this population. This results in victims with unmet needs and fewer criminal prosecutions of SA perpetrators. This study used a mixed-methods approach to collect data from lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women to instigate changes that would improve responses from law enforcement, victim services, and anti-violence programs that serve SMW. This study comprised of three parts a: baseline survey, qualitative interview, and daily survey. Self-reported baseline questionnaires included topics like lifetime victimization (childhood sexual abuse, adult sexual aggression, and assault), discrimination, distress, mental health, alcohol use, and sexual history. The qualitative interviews focused on the most recent, and when applicable, the most salient adult sexual assault (ASA) incident. Interviews began by asking the participants to describe their ASA incidents with follow-probes asking about the victimization, perpetrator characteristics (gender and relationship to participant), and context of assault (role of alcohol or drugs and setting). Participants were also asked if they discussed the assault with anyone and their reasons for disclosure or non-disclosure. As well as short and long-term coping patterns. The daily survey asked participants about their mood, alcohol use, drinking contexts, and sexual experiences (consensual and non-consensual). This study contains demographic information such as: age, race, income, education, and BMI.
description: Drawing on both minority stress theory and the larger sexual assault (SA) literature among heterosexual women, this study tries to gain new perspectives on the mechanisms that elevate the harm of SA for sexual minority women (SMW). The stress of having a stigmatized sexual identity is a critical factor for underlying mental health and substance use disparities among this disenfranchised group. Moreover, most SMW who are sexually assaulted do not receive the necessary services to address their post-assault needs. Nor the public and policy attention necessary to end this violence. The inadequacies of SMW's post-assault care are due, in part, to a lack of knowledge among victim assistance providers and the criminal justice system about the unique needs of SMW who experience SA. This study sought to examine this through 4 different goals: Report the prevalence of SA and associated outcomes by sexual identity and examine the influence of sexual identity and ASA. Explore qualitative differences in adult sexual assault (ASA) characteristics and post-assault disclosure and coping mechanism organized by sexual identity. Explore quantitative differences in daily alcohol use by sexual identity given its role in ASA. Explore the differences in the role of alcohol in ASA incidences and the impact of alcohol-involved assaults on disclosure and coping mechanisms by sexual identity.
description: The researchers utilized a mixed-method approach to understand adult sexual assault (ASA) and its outcomes across sexual identity groups. Participants were asked to complete a phone screener for eligibility, a baseline self-report questionnaire, a qualitative interview when applicable (i.e. if the participant had ASA experience), and a daily diary survey. The daily diary surveys were accessible between 9 pm to 5 am and asked about the participant's experiences since they woke up that day for 12 consecutive weeks.
description: Not Applicable.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None
description: A total of 246 self-identified sexual minority women and exclusively heterosexual women participated in this multi-method study. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS), with 15 initial seed participants, with five women from each sexual identity group. These initial seeds were recruited via community contacts and flyers that were located in non-alcohol-oriented establishments (e.g., coffee shops or restaurants). Throughout the study, an additional 39 women were recruited as seeds through newspaper ads. Each participant was paid 10 dollars for every person they recruited. Participants were told they could earn a 5 dollars steering incentive if they referred a women-of-color to the study. All recruitment materials called for lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual cisgender women between the ages of 18 to 35 who were interested in participating in a study on daily stress. Transgender and gender non-conforming women were excluded from the study as there was not a sufficient sample of individuals in these groups.
description: Datasets: DS0: Study-Level Files DS1: Baseline Interview Data DS2: Daily Questionnaire Data DS3: Qualitative Baseline Interview Data
description: Cisgender women who are between the ages of 18-35 years old, who identify as lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual, drank one standard drink in the past month, and are fluent in English. Smallest Geographic Unit: Buffalo, NY
description: computer-assisted self interview (CASI); face-to-face interview; web-based surveyThe transcripts of the interviews are not included in this study's release at this time.