Drug-facilitated sexual assault: college women's risk perception and behavioral choices.
OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated relationships among prior victimization, risk perceptions, and behavioral choices in responding to drug-facilitated sexual assault in a college party where alcohol is available.


METHODS
From fall 2003 to spring 2004, over 400 female undergraduates rated risk perception following an acquaintance rape vignette.


RESULTS
In general, participants tended to perceive the risk of having someone else pour their beer; however, they did not tend to perceive the risk of leaving one's beer unattended. Results also indicated that college students who felt ill at a party were not likely to suspect the presence of a date-rape drug and when sexual assault occurred, a significant minority of respondents blamed the victim. Victims of prior sexual assault were more likely to report that they would make risky choices, such as accepting a male acquaintance's offer to help them into their bedroom.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for the prevention of sexual assault are discussed.
Crawford
Emily
E
Miami University of Ohio, Oxford, OH 45056, USA. crawfoeb@muohio.edu
Wright
Margaret O'Dougherty
MO
Birchmeier
Zachary
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001364:Awareness; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012306:Risk; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012742:Sex Offenses; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
D013287:Illicit Drugs