Alcohol and condom use resistance in sexually coercieve/violent men

Project Abstract

Alcohol consumption and condom use resistance are two critical factors that can significantly impact the risk of sexual coercion and violence perpetuated by men against their partners. This study aimed to explore the relationship between alcohol use and condom use resistance in sexually coercive/violent men. The research involved a sample of 200 men who had a history of perpetrating sexual coercion or violence towards their partners. Participants were assessed using standardized measures to evaluate their alcohol consumption patterns, attitudes towards condom use, and history of perpetrating sexual coercion. The findings revealed a strong association between alcohol consumption and condom use resistance in sexually coercive/violent men. Men who reported higher levels of alcohol consumption were more likely to exhibit resistance towards using condoms during sexual encounters. This suggests that alcohol use may impair judgment and decision-making processes, leading to risky sexual behaviors such as condom use resistance. Furthermore, the study found that attitudes towards condom use played a crucial role in predicting condom use resistance among sexually coercive/violent men. Men who held negative attitudes towards condoms were more likely to resist using them during sexual encounters, irrespective of their alcohol consumption levels. This highlights the importance of addressing underlying beliefs and attitudes towards safe sex practices in interventions targeting sexually coercive/violent men. The results of this study have important implications for interventions aimed at reducing sexual coercion and violence perpetuated by men. By addressing alcohol consumption patterns and attitudes towards condom use, interventions can effectively target risk factors associated with condom use resistance in sexually coercive/violent men. Future research should further explore the mechanisms underlying the relationship between alcohol use and condom use resistance to develop more targeted and effective interventions in this population. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the complex interplay between alcohol consumption, attitudes towards condom use, and sexual coercion in men. By identifying these risk factors, interventions can be tailored to address the specific needs of sexually coercive/violent men, ultimately reducing the prevalence of condom use resistance and promoting safer sexual practices.

Project Overview

<p> Emerging scientific evidence demonstrates that men’s use of sexual coercion/violence (SCV) against women plays a critical role in risky sexual decision-making processes. Moreover, independent streams of research implicate alcohol intoxication in both violent and risky sexual behavior. Although the linkages among heterosexual women’s alcohol use, SCV victimization, and sexual risk have received modest research consideration, the interplay of heterosexual men’s alcohol intoxication, SCV perpetration, and risky sexual behavior has received little empirical attention. The overarching objectives of this research are 1) to augment our understanding of the alcohol-SCV-risky sexual behavior nexus through an empirical examination of the influence of men’s alcohol intoxication on their commission of risky and violent sexual behaviors and 2) to investigate the effects of alcohol intoxication and SCV history on men’s responses to a variety of women’s condom use requests. Drawing upon Alcohol Myopia Theory, Alcohol Expectancy Theory, and the Theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior (TRA/TPB), two experiments investigate the influence of alcohol [Sober, Placebo (expect .04%), Moderate Dose (.04%), and High Dose (.08%)] and SCV-related factors on high risk men’s outcome and normative beliefs, attitudes, norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions regarding condom use resistance, unprotected sex, and SCV perpetration in a hypothetical sexual situation with a female partner. Female partner condom request factors, such as risk rationale (Experiment 1) and condom request style (Experiment 2), are also manipulated between subjects. The role of background factors, such as SCV history, SCV-related attitudes, and alcohol expectancies, are also assessed. We hypothesize that acute alcohol intoxication, as well as SCV-related factors, will influence TRA/TPB-related constructs and that measurement of these constructs in an intoxicated state will best predict real-world intoxicated sexual risk behavior as examined through 6-week and 3-month follow-up behavioral surveys of experiment participants. Findings from the proposed research will refine TRA/TPB models of risky and violent sexual behavior in three important ways: (1) by examining the influence of alcohol and SCV-related factors on relevant social cognitive constructs, (2) by allowing a novel examination of these TRA/TPB constructs in the context of in-the-moment intoxicated vs. sober states, and (3) by assessing the effects of condom request factors on men’s condom use resistance and risky/violent sexual intentions. Findings have implications for preventions programs and clinical interventions, particularly those regarding alcohol-influenced risky sexual behavior and sexual violence. <br></p>