Sexual Assault on the College Campus The Role of Male Peer Support

by Martin D. Schwartz; Walter DeKeseredy

• ISBN13: 9780803970267
• ISBN10: 0803970269
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-01-09
• Publisher: Sage Publications

Summary

"I can't imagine anyone living or working with adolescents and young adults without being aware of the material in this book. A must read for educators, health providers, student personnel, administrators, the clergy, campus security, and even parents." --Mary P. Koss, The Arizona Prevention Center, University of Arizona "My overall response to this book is highly positive. I think the authors make an important contribution to the field of violence against women by focusing on male peer support for sexual violence. I think that this book fills a real void in the literature. Sanday's book, Fraternity Gang Rape, offers a rich theoretical analysis of rape on campus, and this book takes us another step in understanding sexual violence on campus by focusing on a variety of other issues related to campus rape such as alcohol and sports. . . . I think this book could (and should) be recommended reading for every college student in the U.S. and Canada. . . . The arguments . . . are clearly stated and they provide a powerful analysis of this serious problem--the material is fascinating and easy to read." --Raquel Kennedy Bergen, Sociology Department, St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania "This book speaks to me on several different levels. . . . The loose pages of the manuscript that I have are now well marked with red ink; some are tea-stained and others are dog-eared. From my experience as a teacher, researcher, editor, and activist, this is usually the sign of a very good book--good not because it makes an interesting read but, more important, because it is useful. . . . As a researcher, I was struck by the book's utility in . . . the authors' attention to methodology . . . [and the book's] contribution to theory building. . . . As an educator, I am impressed by the accessibility of the analysis, which makes the book useful as a text in many different courses. It is an interesting read; in fact, I predict that most students will report that they liked reading it. At the same time, however, it contains a wealth of information that carries not only the credibility stamp of science but also speaks directly to the students' experience. . . . This book is also a valuable resource for faculty and administrators willing to scrutinize their personal attitudes and behavior as well as the policies and practices of their institutions. . . . One more level on which this book spoke to me [is] a more personal level. . . . We must make a commitment to what the authors call ''newsmaking'': reaching out beyond our own circles to get alternative messages heard by as many people as possible. . . . And therein lies, I suppose, the book's ultimate value: what we have here is a testament to the fact that the personal is political. That old feminist adage has been quoted so often and is on so many bumper stickers that the words sound hollow much of the time. I want to take this opportunity to thank Martin D. Schwartz and Walter S. DeKeseredy for reinvigorating it--and me." --from the Foreword by Claire M. Renzetti, St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia For many coeds, the college campus life experience is marred by traumatic experiences of sexual assault. While there are many social determinants of rape and attempted rape, Sexual Assault on the College Campus examines the pivotal role of male peer support in legitimizing woman abuse. Written in an approachable style and completely grounded in the scientific research literature, this book provides enlightening discussions on the relationship of sexual assault to factors such as alcohol, deterrence, and fraternities. Authors Martin D. Schwartz and Walter S. DeKeseredy advance an original theory on male peer support and its role in supporting sexual assault using extensive prior studies and investiga

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii	(8)
Preface	xv
1. Sexual Assault on North American College Campuses	1	(30)
Campus Crime	2	(6)
What Is Sexual Assault?	8	(1)
The Incidence and Prevalence of Campus Sexual Assault	9	(11)
Why Aren't Victims of Sexual Assault on Campus Taken Seriously?	20	(8)
Summary	28	(3)
2. Male Peer-Support Theories of Sexual Assault	31	(28)
Kanin's Reference Group Theory	32	(5)
The Standards of Gratification Thesis	37	(2)
Sanday's Psychoanalytic Theory of Gang Rape	39	(3)
Male Peer-Support Models	42	(9)
Suggestions for Further Theoretical and Empirical Work	51	(5)
Summary	56	(3)
3. Growing Up in a Rape-Supportive Culture	59	(38)
A Male-Dominated Society	60	(4)
Growing Up Male in North America	64	(4)
The Study of Masculinities	68	(8)
Sexual Abuse Before Coming to College	76	(3)
The Influence of Rape Myths	79	(5)
Pornography and Sexual Assault	84	(4)
The Rape Supportive Society and Hidden Victims	88	(3)
Woman Abuse Affects Men Also: Josh's Story	92	(2)
Summary	94	(3)
4. Factors Associated With Male Peer Support for Sexual Assault on the College Campus	97	(40)
Alcohol Consumption	97	(10)
Male Support-Group Membership	107	(11)
The Particular Elements of Male Peer-Support Groups	118	(6)
Sports Teams and Violence Against Women	124	(7)
Absence of Deterrence	131	(5)
Summary	136	(1)
5. Prevention and Policy Implications	137	(38)
Target Hardening: Sexual Assault Prevention Through Opportunity Reduction	139	(4)
Educational Campaigns	143	(9)
Alcohol Policies	152	(5)
Codes of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures	157	(5)
Prevention	162	(3)
Men's Strategies	165	(5)
News-Making Criminology	170	(2)
Summary	172	(3)
Appendix: Catherine's Story	175	(26)
References	201	(20)
Index	221	(9)
About the Authors	230