title: Comparing sexual assault prevalence estimates obtained with direct and indirect questioning techniques.
abstract: Concerns have been expressed about the validity of self-reported data on sexual assault, as victims might be reluctant to disclose what happened to them. In this study, using an anonymous, web-based survey, a sample of 5,446 undergraduate women were asked about their experiences with physically forced sexual assault using both direct and indirect questioning methods. The prevalence of physically forced sexual assault obtained via indirect questioning was slightly higher than, though not substantially or statistically different from, the estimate obtained via direct questioning. The results suggest that either direct questioning yields reasonably valid estimates of the prevalence of sexual assault or that the item count technique does not produce estimates that are any more valid.
authors.affiliation: RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. krebs@rti.org
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.forename: Christine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lindquist
authors.forename: Tara D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Bonnie S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Sandra L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Childers
mesh_terms: D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011902:Rape / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult