Exploring the relationship between strip clubs and rates of sexual violence and violent crime

The goal of this study was to understand how strip clubs in an area could be related to sexual violence and violent crime. It found areas with a higher number of strip clubs per capita had more violent crime, but not sexual violence. Areas with more “high risk” strip clubs (e.g., greater days and hours of operation, fully-nudity) have higher rates of sexual violence.

Hipp, T. N., Borgman, R. A., Gilmore, D., & Swartout, K. M. (2021). Exploring the relationship between strip clubs and rates of sexual violence and violent crime. Journal of community psychology, 49(4), 962-979.

Cognitive and affective mediators of alcohol-facilitated intimate-partner aggression

When examining how thoughts and emotions contribute to alcohol-facilitated intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, men who are intoxicated and have aggressive thoughts were more likely to engage in IPV perpetration. Unexpectedly, men’s emotions were not related to IPV perpetration.

Eckhardt, C. I., Parrott, D. J., Swartout, K. M., Leone, R. M., Purvis, D. M., Massa, A. A., & Sprunger, J. G. (2021). Cognitive and affective mediators of alcohol-facilitated intimate-partner aggression. Clinical psychological science, 9(3), 385-402.

College-level perceptions of drinking, binge drinking, and sexual violence perpetration: A multilevel mediation model

The following study assesses how college students’ perceptions of drinking and sexual violence may predict drinking behaviors and sexual perpetration. Men at institutions with higher levels of drinking norms were more likely to binge drink and perpetrate sexual violence.

Bellis, A. L., Swartout, K. M., & Salazar, L. F. (2022). College-level perceptions of drinking, binge drinking, and sexual violence perpetration: A multilevel mediation model. Journal of American college health, 70(6), 1688-1695.

The scope of rape victimization and perpetration among national samples of college students across 30 years

This study investigates how rates of sexual violence in college have changed from 1985 to 2015. It found incident rates have increased. In 1985, 27.9% of college women reported victimization, which increased to 33.4% in 2015; and 7.7% of men reported perpetration, which increased to 12.7% in 2015. Additionally, incidents of sexual violence where alcohol was involved increased from 50% in 1985 to 75% in 2015.

Koss, M. P., Swartout, K. M., Lopez, E. C., Lamade, R. V., Anderson, E. J., Brennan, C. L., & Prentky, R. A. (2022). The scope of rape victimization and perpetration among national samples of college students across 30 years. Journal of interpersonal violence, 37(1-2), NP25-NP47.

Unwanted Sexual Contact: Students With Autism and Other Disabilities at Greater Risk

The findings from this study suggest that college students with ASD and their peers with disabilities are more likely to experience unwanted sexual contact when compared to students without disabilities. These results parallel findings that women undergraduates with a disability experienced higher rates of nonconsensual sexual contact while expanding on reports that sexual victimization disproportionately affects women with developmental disabilities.

Brown, K.R., Peña, E.V., & Rankin, S. (2017). Unwanted Sexual Contact: Students With Autism and Other Disabilities at Greater Risk. Journal of College Student Development 58(5), 771-776. doi:10.1353/csd.2017.0059.