A Rose by Any Other Name: Unacknowledged Sexual Coercion among Latinx Undergraduates

ABSTRACT

Sexual victimization is associated with adverse health outcomes. Research on the health impact of survivors’ acknowledgment of their victimization has found mixed results. The experiences of ethnic minority individuals in this area are under-researched. We collected data across two time points from a sample of Latinx undergraduate students (N = 81, Mage = 18.02, 80% women). We used mixed methods to examine participants’ experiences of unacknowledged sexual coercion, acknowledged sexual coercion, and associated impacts on their health. We found three themes including pressure to engage in sexual activity associated with the “girlfriend” role, verbal coercion by repeated asking, and alcohol-mediated sexual violence at parties. Mental health decreased following victimization. Self-rated health decreased for acknowledged survivors. Among Latinx undergraduate survivors of sexual violence, acknowledging sexual violence may negatively impact perceptions of global health. These survivors also report distinct patterns of victimization that should be further researched to inform prevention efforts.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual violence
• mental health
• physical health
• sexual coercion
• Latinx survivors
• unacknowledged sexual violence
• unacknowledged rape
• campus sexual violence

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of Brenda Major to this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Russell Sage Foundation award #96-18-02. This research was approved by the Portland State University Institutional Review Board [IRB protocol #196509-18].