title: "The red zone": temporal risk for unwanted sex among college students.
abstract: The "red zone" usually refers to the first few weeks of the first semester at college, when female students are believed to be at greatest risk for experiencing unwanted sex. We tested this notion using data from a survey study of 207 first-and second-year students (121 women, 84 men) at a small, liberal arts university. Results demonstrated only one significant elevation in incidence rates of first- and second-year women's unwanted sexual experiences (sexual touching, attempted and completed anal, oral, and vaginal sex), between the end of the first month and fall break (mid-October) during the second year at school. Previous research and local information about the relevant behaviors of sorority and fraternity members is discussed in light of these findings to provide heuristic material for further empirical testing. Because risk may involve both temporal and situational factors, systematic collection and dissemination of local data are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA. wflack@bucknell.edu
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Flack
authors.forename: Marcia L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Leinen
authors.forename: Katherine G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Breitenbach
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: Elaine N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Caitlin T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: Taylor F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Harchak
authors.forename: Melissa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hendricks
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rector
authors.forename: Heather T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Schatten
authors.forename: Heather C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003068:Coercion; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology; D016387:Women's Health