Archer, J., & Vaughan, A. (2001). Evolutionary theories of rape. Psychology, Evolution & Gender, 3, 95-101.

The purpose of this article is to review and discuss different evolutionary views of rape and their implications. Evolutionary theories are divided into views of rape as an adaptive strategy or as a by-product of other forms of adaptive behavior. These views are often criticized by feminists who support the view that rape is an exercise of power. However, in determining the origins of rape, the authors point out that forced mating has occurred in the animal kingdom predating patriarchal structures thereby weakening the power-related basis of feminist theories.

Topics: Perpetration; theory

Basile, K. C. (2003). Implications of public health for policy on sexual violence. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 989, 446-463.

Provides a public health perspective on sexual violence, and describes a response based in public health policy. Details a rationale for treating sexual violence as a public health issue, and then outlines the public health approach to dealing with health issues. Discussing how public health intervention should be timed, targeted, and can be fit into an ecological approach. Shows how current prevention efforts to end sexual violence fit within the public health model, and identifies gaps in the efforts. Describes the STOP IT NOW! child sexual abuse education program, and reflects on other opportunities for prevention.

Topics: Prevention; theory

Campbell, R., & Wasco, S. M. (2005). Understanding rape and sexual assault: 20 years of progress and future directions. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20, 127-131.

This article provides an overview of twenty years of research pertaining to sexual assault, spanning from the initial studies that determined estimates of prevalence to more recent studies focusing on vicarious trauma of rape victim advocates, therapists, and researchers. The authors discuss the significance of PTSD among survivors of sexual assault, the importance of prevention and intervention programs, and the methodological tools – whether quantitative or qualitative – that have become more predominant in recent years in addressing sexual assault and trauma.

Topics: Community attitudes/responses; prevention; theory

Goodman, L. A., Koss, M. P, & Russo, N. F. (1993). Violence against women: Physical and mental health effects: II. Research findings. Applied & Preventive Psychology, 2, 79-89.

In this article the authors use the posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis, a frame that captures many of the disparate symptoms described by researchers, as a basis for exploring several conceptual models that have been developed to explain responses to violence. The PTSD framework is discussed in depth, with further discussion of the Psychoanalytic model, the Schema-Based model, the Behavioral Learning model, the Personal Control model, the Learned Helplessness model, and the Emotional Processing model. The need for integration of these models in order to adequately address all the symptoms of PTSD, and hence women's responses to violence, is discussed.

Topics: Effects; theory

Koss, M. P. (2000b). Evolutionary models of why men rape: Acknowledging the complexities. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 1, 182-190.

This article discusses the limitations of Thornhill and Palmer's (2000) book, “A Natural History of Rape: Biological Bases of Sexual Coercion.” The author asserts that Thornhill and Palmer contrast evolutionary and feminist theories in a manner meant to encourage media attention; that they attempt to present their work as a battle of evolution versus the social sciences; and that they present two alternative hypotheses of human rape – namely, that rape is either a special adaptive strategy or that it is a by-product of male sexual desire and preference for higher numbers of sexual partners – but then fail to address the latter hypothesis. This critique also points out that Thornhill and Palmer make little use of empirical findings from the field of sexual assault research and that the majority of the empirical data actually challenges their findings. The author specifically disputes a number of Thornhill and Palmer's assertions by pointing out that: 1) many rape victims are children, not women of reproductive age, 2) women of childbearing years have not been shown to experience the most distress postvictimization, 3) emotional distress does not vary with the rapist's level of violence, 4) all forms of unwanted penetration is traumatic for women of all ages, and 5) although rapists rarely kill, life threat is high. The author also states that Thornhill and Palmer's prevention recommendations are naïve and harmful and concludes that “A Natural History of Rape” has made it more difficult to advocate for the explanatory role of evolutionary factors in research on violence against women.

Topics: Male-female relations; perpetration; theory

Lee, D.S., Guy, L., Perry, B., Sniffen, C.K., & Mixson, S.A. (2007). Sexual violence prevention. The Prevention Researcher, 14, 15-20. [Posted August 2007]

Key Points: Because sexual violence is a social problem, ending it requires comprehensive community prevention strategies as well as individual education.

Abstract: The authors reviewed the feminist theoretical basis for sexual violence prevention programs, which states that cultural norms and unequal gender roles lead inevitably to violence against women. They argue that education efforts that address attitudes about gender roles and seek to build relationship skills can be made more effective by incorporating them into comprehensive and community change models.

Several comprehensive programs developed using the Ecological Model and the Spectrum of Prevention model are described. Examples of programs based on community mobilization, changing social norms, and social marketing illustrate community level prevention strategies. The importance of promoting policy changes at local and national levels is emphasized. Finally, the authors call for more funding and research into cultural causes of and responses to sexual violence.

Topics: Prevention; theory

Mattaini, M. A., & McGuire, M. S. (2006). Behavioral strategies for constructing nonviolent cultures with Youth: A review. Behavior Modification, 30, 184-224.

This article provides a brief review of the roots of youth violence at a social level. It describes the traits of effective and ineffective programs to address youth violence, and focuses on two types of intervention strategies it considers to be promising and potentially effective. The first type is universal skill training with youth, for which the article provides an analysis of several programs using universal skill training. Each program description offers and a summary of its strengths and weaknesses. Such programmatic analysis is also provided for the second intervention type, which is the use of universal ecological based strategies in interventions. Such interventions are designed to change cultural practice in cultural networks.

Topics: Adolescent/high school; prevention; theory

McCabe, M. P., & Wauchope, M. (2005). Behavioral characteristics of men accused of rape: Evidence for different types of rapists. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 34, 241-253.

The purpose of this study was to produce a typology of rapists based on behavioral characteristics. The current literature focuses on four types of rapists: the anger rapist, the power exploitative rapist, the power reassurance rapist, and the sadistic rapist. Results supported the current typology with some degree of variation among the characteristics of the anger and power exploitative types. The authors recommend that future research on this topic should explore motivational and cognitive characteristics of rapists so as to better inform the current typology.

Topics: Perpetration; prevalence; theory

Muehlenhard, C. L., & Kimes, L. A. (1999). The social construction of violence: The case of sexual and domestic violence. Personality & Social Psychology Review, [Special issue: Perspectives on evil and violence], 3, 234-245.

What counts as "violence" is socially constructed, has varied over time, and reflects power relationships. Informed by social constructionism, the authors illustrate these points using as examples sexual violence and domestic violence. The authors review changes in how society and social scientists have defined and understood these topics during the last thirty years. They then discuss three areas of continuing controversy: who should decide if sexual or domestic violence has occurred, what to count as sexual and domestic violence, and the role of gender in defining sexual and domestic violence.

Topics: Theory

Mustaine, E. E., & Tewksbury, R. (1999). A routine activity theory explanation for women's stalking victimizations. Violence Against Women, 5, 43-62.

This article presents a routine activity theory model for predicting stalking victimization likelihood for women. Surveys administered to 861 university women in nine institutions were examined. Using routine activity theory, the model highlights lifestyle behaviors and interactions as predictors of stalking victimization. While routine activity theory typically highlights the role of demographics and status as predictors of victimization, this analysis emphasizes the role of women's social interactions and substance use in victimization risk. Significant predictors of victimization likelihood include substance use variables, activities in public settings, and residence off campus.

Topics: College; risk; stalking; theory

Nurius, P. S. (2000). Risk perception for acquaintance sexual aggression: A social-cognitive perspective. Aggression & Violent Behavior, 5, 63-78.

The authors discuss the fact that beliefs about sources of harm and personal susceptibility to harm have been shown to play an important role in subsequent self-protection from harm. Women generally report low levels of perceived personal risk from acquaintances and are therefore ill-prepared to prevent threat from them. In order to change this situation, we need a better understanding of factors that shape perception of risk and how these factors are likely to negatively and positively influence women's risk reduction and self-protection. To this end, the authors, review recent literature on risk perception and identify relevant applications of theory and findings to women's perception of risk for sexual aggression by acquaintances.

Topics: Avoidance/resistance; risk; theory

Wandersman, A. (2003). Community science: Bridging the gap between science and practice with community-centered models. American Journal of Community Psychology, 31, 227-242.

In this article, Wandersman introduces community science as an interdisciplinary field that uses community-based models to improve the quality of treatment, prevention, health promotion, and education. He provides a definition of community science, outlines key features, and indicates how it might be used to bridge the gap between science and practice. Prior to this discussion, Wandersman presents an overview of the traditional "prevention science" model for integrating science and practice and highlights its limitations. He concludes the article with directions for further development of community-centered models.

Topics: Prevention; theory

White, J. W., & Kowalski, R. M. (1998). Male violence toward women: An integrated perspective. In R. G. Geen & E. I. Donnerstein (Eds.), Human aggression: Theories, research, and implications for social policy (pp. 203-228). San Diego, CA: Academic Press, Inc.

This paper focuses on male intimate aggression/violence directed toward females. Single and multifactor theories that have been used to explain male violence against women are described. An integrative contextual developmental perspective is provided to organize information about violence against women. This model provides a meta-theoretical framework within which more specific theories and hypotheses can be considered. The evidence concerning the various forms of violence against women is summarized, including prevalence and characteristics of the perpetrator, victim, and circumstances surrounding each of the various forms of aggression. This approach is adopted to emphasize that an individual's behavior can be best understood by considering the impact of historical, sociocultural, and social factors across time on cognitive and motivational processes that result in aggression and violence.

Topics: Male-female relations; perpetration; prevalence; theory

Updated 08/01/07