African-American College Students' Perceptions of Sexual Coercion LaTonya D. Mouzon, Alicia Battle, Kevin P. Clark, Stephanie Coleman, and Roberta J. Ogletree Abstract While the phenomenon of sexual coercion has been studied "intoxication, blackmail, lies, false promises, guilt, and threats extensively, little is known about African-American college to end the relationship." (Walner-Haugrud & Magruder, 1995, students' perceptions about verbal sexual coercion. Using a p. 203). phenomenological approach, the researchers conducted five In a seminal study undertaken nearly 20 years ago, Koss, focus group interviews with 39 African-American students Gidycz and Wisniewski (1987) reported results of a (20 females, 19 males) at a large Midwestern university to representative sample of over 6,000 college students. They elicit perceptions of sexual coercion. Focus group revealed that a significant percentage of college women had discussions were based on four primary research questions: experienced sexually coercive experiences that met the legal (1) What is sexual coercion? (2) How common is sexual definition of attempted rape or rape. Since then numerous coercion? (3) What causes it? (4) How can it be prevented? studies have confirmed that college women are a high-risk Content analysis was used to extract and report themes that group for being coerced to engage in unwanted sexual emerged from the focus group interviews. Participants behavior (Baier, Rosenweig & Whipple, 1991; Kalichman, denounced physical coercion as rape and only addressed Williams, Cherry, Belcher & Nachimson, 1998; Marx, Gross verbal forms of coercion in their discussions. Participants & Adams, 1999; O'Sullivan, Byers & Finkleman, 1998). viewed verbal sexual coercion as a normative behavior often Research conducted in the past decade has examined referred to it as "running the game." They acknowledged women as perpetrators of sexual coercion (Busby & the reciprocal nature of coercion as well as the fact that Compton, 1997; Fiebert & Tucci, 1998; O'Sullivan, et al., women use it and experience it as much as men. Poor 1998; Russell & Oswald, 2001); involvement of alcohol in communication skills were identified as a potential cause of sexual coercion (Gross & Billingham, 1998; Marx, Gross & sexual coercion. Because of this, college health and Adams, 1999); and gender differences in perceptions of sexual university housing personnel, along with health educators, coercion (Haworth-Hoeppner, 1998). While a few studies need to focus their efforts on helping students improve sexual have focused on African-Americans in the study of sexual communications skills. coercion (Kahchrnan, et al., 1998; Kalof & Wade, 1995;V arelas & Foley, 1998), the authors found no qualitative studies of the perceptions of African-American college students in the literature. While a variety of behaviors have been identified as The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore sexually coercive (Hogben & Waterman, 2000; Russell & the phenomenon of sexual coercion as lived or perceived by Oswald 2001; Struckman-Johnson & Struckman-Johnson, African-American college students at a large Midwestern 1998), several studies revealed verbal coercion to be the university. A phenomenological approach was taken to gain most common form of sexual coercion (Busby & Compton, insights into participants' opinions about the meaning of 1997; Lottes & Weinberg, 1996; Struckman-Johnson, sexual coercion. Struckman-Johnson, & Anderson, 2003). The key element common to various definitions of sexual coercion is that one Methods is exposed to pressure and persuasion to engage in undesired sexual activity. Verbal sexual coercion tactics include Data Collection After Institutional Review Board approval was granted, LaTonya D. Mouzon, PhD; Kate Bond Elementary School, 2127 data were collected though focus group interviews. Focus Kate Bond Road, Memphis, TN 38133 groups, a qualitative technique used to gather data about Alicia Battle, MS; Director of Alcohol Education Initiatives, feelings and opinions of small groups of participants, were Residence Life; Tulane University, 27 McAlister Drive, New selected because of their potential to provide opportunities Orleans, LA 7011 8 for participants to discuss ideas. In addition, the interaction Kevin P. Clark, MS; Community Development Specialist; 1653 among participants in focus groups reveals multiple stories Logan Drive #6, Carbondale, IL 62901 about and diverse experiences of the phenomenon under Stephanie Coleman, MS; 4915 S. Hermitage, Chicago, IL 60609 * Roberta J. Ogletree, HSD, CHES, FASHA, Professor of Health study (Brown, 1999). Education; Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901; Purposeful sampling, the method used most often when Telephone: 618-453-7727; Fax: 618 -453-1829; E-mail: assembling focus groups (Morgan, 1997), was used for this [email protected]; Chapter: Alpha Alpha study. African-American college students were recruited by * Corresponding author The Health Educator Spring 2005, Vol. 37, No. 1 announcing, in a human sexuality course, the need for Meeting several times, the research team mapped out the African-American participants for a study on sexual coercion, various themes that emerged from each questionlcategory. posting flyers on residence hall bulletin boards, announcing A high level of agreement resulted, demonstrating the study at a residence hall floor meeting, and encouraging consistency in interpretation of the focus group interview volunteers to recruit additional participants. Names and data and providing credibility and trustworthiness (Brown, telephone numbers were collected and volunteers were 1999). Working in this manner the researchers were able to contacted and invited to attend one of the focus groups. discuss similarities and differences in the data. For a clear Five focus group interviews were conducted. Due to and concise presentation of data the researchers elected to concern that mixed gender groups might inhibit participants, organize results by the four questions used to focus the two groups were all male (n=10; n=6) and two groups were interviews. all female (n=6; n=7); a fifth group (n=8) was mixed male (n=3) and female (n=5). An Afiican-Americanr esearcher with Results experience in focus group moderation served as moderator and another African-American researcher served as a A total of 39 African-American college students recorder, taking field notes during each session for data participated in the interviews. Twenty-two participants (56%) triangulation to ensure trustworthiness of the data. were less than 21 years of age and 17 (44%) were 21 or older. The researchers developed a semi-structured interview Twenty females (5 1% ) and 19 males (49%) participated. The guide which included broad open-ended questions followed majority (n=23; 59%) were underclassmen while 13 (33%) by probes (Brown, 1999; Morgan, 1997) to ensure were upperclassmen and 3 (7%) were graduate students. consistency among the five groups. At the beginning of Most students lived in either university housing (n=17; 44%) each focus group session, participants were greeted and or off-campus housing (n=17; 44%); four students (10%) asked to read and complete an informed consent and a lived at home and one (2%) in a fraternity house. participant profile sheet, giving their sex, age, year in school, Information provided on the participant profile revealed residence, and sexual coercion experience. that six of the men (32%) and six of the women (30%) indicated The researchers audiotaped the interviews with they had engaged in sexual behavior when they did not participants' permission. The moderator focused the want to because they felt pressured to do so. Seven men interviews by using four major questions: (1) What is sexual (37%) and six women (30%) indicated they had used verbal coercion? (2) How common is it? (3) What causes it? (4) coercion to pressure someone into sexual activity. None of What can be done to prevent it? When discussions no longer the participants indicated they had used or experienced provided material contributing to the purpose of the study, physical sexual coercion or rape. the interviews were brought to a close and audiotapes turned off. Interviews lasted between 60 and 90 minutes. Participants What is Sexual Coercion? were thanked and refreshments were served. The first major question asked of the five groups was Analysis "what is sexual coercion?' Initially, participants experienced difficulty in defining sexual coercion and notetakers The researchers used content analysis as described by commented on participants' looks of confusion. This Brown (1999) and Neundorf (2002) to analyze data from the question required follow-up probes in order to elicit specific focus group interviews. The findings included extensive examples of situations considered to be sexually coercive quotations from the interviews (Morgan, 1997). After a paid (e.g. "Can you give some examples to explain what it is?"). assistant transcribed the focus group interview verbatim Several themes emerged from the data. and researchers coded the data individually, researchers Each focus group discussed the unacceptability of worked collaboratively to identify themes and draw physical coercion and there was consensus that once conclusions. Researchers repeatedly read the transcripts, physical force was used it became rape. It is important to identifying and recording key ideas, words, phrases and note that once this spontaneous discussion and distinction verbatim quotes that captured the essence of the discussion. occurred, all further discussion addressed verbal forms of Next, the researchers used the ideas to create categories, sexual coercion. A distinction also was made between and classified interview transcript data under the appropriate persuasion and threats of force. "I don't think too much identified categories. They then clustered the categories into about threatening. If you've got to do that, then there's themes. Finally, quotes from the participants were used to something wrong with you anyway." One male offered this illustrate and support those themes. distinction between verbal coercion and rape: Each researcher coded the transcript of one focus group, If I persuade you, like I was playing a game, right? I'm yet read the other four transcripts. The five researchers met going to talk to you, make you feel a little more face-to-face for team analysis in order to validate the findings comfortable, and then maybe you'll feel a little bit better and to ensure credibility and trustworthiness (Brown, 1999). about having sex with me. But it I just grab you, catch In addition, they examined the notetakers' observations for you from behind on the street and throw you down, rip consistency in what was said and what was observed. off your clothes, and have sex with you, that's wrong. Spring 2005, Vol. 37, No. 1 The Health Educator Also consistent across the five groups was the theme she wants to get what you want. I mean, it's an even of sexual coercion as persuasion anrl/or pressure with all exchange"). groups clearly identified coercion as persuasion or some Sexual coercion normative behavior and a commonly type of pressure. The variety of responses from the women played game emerged as another theme. Groups saw it as in the focus groups suggested a range in the type of verbal normal and even behavior to be expected. "Its just life" and pressure used in verbal sexual coercion from ultimatums to "Who doesn't go through that?' Men and women agreed guilt. "Talking or threats" was identified as one example of "She doesn't want you to give up too easily." A woman pressure. One female participant described it as "basically stated that "most women loved to be chased.. .it's a cat-and- an ultimatum [in which a guy says] 'if you don't give in to mouse game." Another said it's "definitely a game. See how me, I won't be with you anymore."' Another offered an many you can get, you know, in terms of, from grammar example of a man saying "if you don't give it up, I'm going to school how many phone numbers you can get, to high school cheat." Guilt was brought up as "they [men] make you feel and how many you can actually have sex with." guilty, saying, 'you don't like me,' saying stuff like that." One woman said "you feel like sometimes you're obligated How Common is Sexual Coercion? to do it just because he's been good to you, you know - look what he did for me, and look how long we've been The predominant theme during this portion of the focus together, and he's a good person. You feel pressure." Another group discussions was that sexual coercion is common. example brought up a different sort of pressure: "Some Numerous comments were made to the effect that sexual people, you know, they think, well, if1d on't do it I'll probably coercion was common in the college setting. "You know, it's not get anyone else, or he won't like me anymore, so, you a college campus. It happens all the time" and "on a college know, there is a certain degree of pressure. Even though you campus, it happens every day." One participant suggested might not want to do it, you do it to make that person happy. that it also was "common in high schools, probably sometimes In that sense, you know, you're being pressured." in marriages." One man stated that "dudes are always going Male descriptions as to what constituted sexual coercion to try to like girls and stuff, because it's like an everyday were more succinct and brief. They used terms and phrases thing." In one all-female group it was acknowledged that such as "persuasion," "verbal persuasion," "persuading sexual coercion happened often but not everyone revealed someone to have sex," and said things like "I'll break up it: with you if you aren't putting out after six months." Another Because, you know, the situations are embarrassing for male indicated a type of pressure called "selling dreams. Tell them.. .They're not going to come down [to the lounge] her what you're going to do for her." saying, "Yeah, John forced me to have sex with him." "Running or playing the game" was a dominant theme They're not going to come out and say it.. .they might in four of the five focus groups. One participant from an all- say, "Yeah, me and John did something last night" or male group described the game as "a script." It became clear whatever. They're not going to come out and say "He that men, and many of the women, viewed potential sexual forced me, he threatened me" or whatever. interaction as a game with certain rules. One of those rules, Another theme that emerged from all five discussions from which there was strong support in the men's groups, was that both men and women used sexual coercion. In was the unacceptability of physical force. It was clear, fact, the first example of sexual coercion in one all-female however, that pressure, manipulation, persuasion, and even focus group was an example of a woman coercing a man. A lying was acceptable and part of the playing the game. "The barrage of responses to the question "how often do you term sexual coercion, more often than not, is typically our suppose women pressure men?' revealed that both male perception of being a player. You know, if you can manipulate and female participants felt women used sexual coercion your way into having sex." nearly as often as men. In one of the all-male groups there was initial resistance When probed for examples of how women pressured to explaining the game ("The game is to be sold, not to be men, the men tended to offer specific examples and scenarios told"). Eventually, one man did explain that "running the in which persuasion and some manipulation were presented. game is using a different talking. Like you're saying the For example: "Women will see a guy with a nice car or lots of words, you tell the woman something that she needs to hear flash or something, and they will pressure a man to get with to get what you want." Others also described the game as him. They will try to give him sex just to get with him." Some "telling her what she needs to hear." A female revealed that of the men in the all-male groups admitted they had been "a lot of guys ...f eel like it's a running game, it's a pass, verbally pressured into having sex. One man offered the whatever.. . 'I have to spin a little game on her, tell her I love following example of how he felt he had been pressured: her, I like her, you know, I really like her, or whatever, you She came to me one night, she told me her name.. .asked know, to be with her."' This notion of telling a woman me to take her to the mall.. .I'm looking at shirts while something she wants to hear in order to get something sexual she's shopping. She sees me picking up this shirt, she in return reveals another theme identified as the exchange grabs the shirt and buys it for me like that. Then she nature of coercion in a relationship (i.e. "You give her what comes home and gives me money to order pizza and, just buying liquor for all my friends. Then I was letting 18 The Health Educator Spring 2005, Vol. 37, No. 1 her pay for my rent ...o ne night I said she could stay even get in that situation from the get go." Several women over ...a nd she just, that girl, she was up on the bed, offered statements such as "don't put ourselves in that verbally pressuring me, because I did not want to touch position." One woman felt "you can be blunt with the her. She did things but I didn't want to do it, but she pressure. Fromthe moment you meet, you just tell him what's started kissing.. .she did stuff to me, and I still didn't on your mind exactly; let him know what you are about right want to do it.. .Pressure the whole time. I never wanted then and there. So, if they choose not to be with you because to touch her. of that, they can leave." "Being blunt from the beginning" was a sentiment expressed by several women and seemed to What Causes Sexual Coercion? refer to being able to clearly communicate limits. To summarize, after initial difficulty in defining sexual While the participants mentioned poor self-esteem as a coercion, participants agreed that physical sexual coercion possible cause of sexual coercion, it did not emerge as a as rape and unacceptable, and thereafter, their discussions theme common to most of the focus groups. When asked centered on verbal sexual coercion. They defined it as a type about causes of sexual coercion one man said "People are of persuasion or pressure to engage in sexual activity and not sure of themselves" while one woman responded "it's they commented on it being a commonly played game. low self-esteem." One man explained that "a man's sex drive Participants believed that women engaged in such behavior is, you know, working a lot faster than a woman's, so we are as often as men. Poor communication was identified as the going to constantly, you know, try to coerce." Yet another principle cause and prevention required being assertive man indicated that "I think it's natural, it's nothing personal." about sexual limits. Poor communication emerged from the focus group interviews as a theme. One male group discussed lack of Discussion communication and miscommunicationa s situations in which sexual coercion might take place. One man pointed out that This study of African-American participants revealed "sex is communication, if you ask me, no matter which way that sexual coercion is perceived to be as common among you look at it." The interpretation of "no" was discussed. "If women as men. Participants in this study admitted both using I'm laying down with a girl and I'm trying to get her out of and having been recipients of sexually coercive techniques. her clothes and she starts telling me 'no, no, no'. .. and I keep This finding is supported by prior research revealing that on going, and you know, just any moment in time I'm taking men and women were both perpetrators and targets of sexual each piece of her clothes off, but at the same time she's coercion (O'Sullivan, et al, 1998; Sprecher, Hatfield, Potapove saying 'no, no, no.' and then later on she just gives in." & Leviskaya, 1994; Struckman-Johnson,e t al, 2003). One man shared that "I've had women tell be basically While no gender differences existed in willingness to 'no,' because they feel like that's what they're supposed to exert verbal pressure and behavioral manipulation, the say at frst, just so he wouldn't get the indication that she intentions of men and women differed. These results are was easy; you see what I'm saying? So it's on her to say supported by Sprecher et al, (1994) who found that men 'no' a few times.. .I'm going to take 'no' two or three times." used coercion to get sex while women used coercion to Women admitted that there is a way to say 'no' that is sending negotiate andlor control a relationship. Men viewed their a different message. Multiple female focus group participants sexual coercion behavior as a means to an end, while women demonstrated this by saying 'no' in a playful manner used coercion to control emotional aspects of a relationship. suggesting that they don't really mean 'no' and they don't Such differing perspectives may lead to sexual really expect the man to interpret it as a serious rejection. miscommunication between men and women. Men agreed that "she's going to know how to tell me 'no' so Although participants never used the phrase "token I understand 'no."' resistance," they referred to this practice when women discussed saying "no" when they really wanted to say "yes" What Can be Done to Prevent Sexual Coercion? (0' Sullivan et al., 1998; Sprecher et al., 1994). This practice may well stem from societal expectations regarding female When asked about sexual coercion prevention, the sexual behavior. Women are socialized to exude sexuality, participants' initial discussion led to statements like "I don't yet sexually aggressive behavior is generally viewed as really know if there is a way to stop it" and statements to the inappropriate (Sprecher et al., 1994;M etts, Cupach & Irnahori, effect that sexual coercion cannot be prevented. One man's 1992). Men tend to be socialized to be sexual aggressors opinion was that it's "never going to stop because the guy within relationships while women are expected to be the is always going to try to get the girl." Another man stated gatekeepers (O'Sullivan). Token resistance is employed to "our parents did it, we're doing it, and it's going to keep on satisfy cultural expectations of the gatekeeper role, but this going." After continued probing, groups began to suggest ultimately promotes sexual miscommunication among men ways to prevent coercion. and women (Motley & Reeder, 1995). Yet, it is important to Avoid getting into that position and assertiveness were note that research on traditional gender role socialization of the only two themes to emerge. "The person should just women has not provided consistent support for the idea keep themselves out of that environment or, you know, not Spring 2005, Vol. 37, No. 1 The Health Educator that such socialization increases risk of sexual coercion getting into situations and being blunt about the behaviors (Mynatt & Allgeier, 1990). in which they will not engage. Not getting in situations is The men involved in this study expressed strong difficult given the dating culture of the college environment, disapproval of physical sexual coercion and they clearly but communication skills training and self-esteem building identified such behavior as the equivalent of rape. Due to may be key prevention tools. the fact that a female moderated the male groups, it is possible There were limitations to the study that should be noted. that they presented socially desirable responses. Women, The use of a female moderator for all groups may have as one might expect, revealed they knew that verbal sexual influenced the openness of the all-male groups. In future coercion had the potential to escalate to physical coercion. research on sexual coercion, focus group interviews should Yet, they were not as quick, or as clear as the men, to identify be exclusively male or female and moderators and note-takers physical coercion as rape. In fact, in an all-female discussion should be the same sex as the participants. While there was of how common sexual coercion is, the scenario of ". .. John a lively discussion in the mixed malelfemale focus group, it forced me to have sex with him" was never identified by the was primarily a male versus female exchange among few of women as rape. This supports early research by Koss and the group members. This study addressed only heterosexual colleagues (1987) who found that a number of college women relationships, and no discussion of perceptions of sexual had experiences meeting the legal definition of rape, yet those coercion within homosexual relationships occurred. Due to women did not label those experiences as rape. the small number of participants and the purposive sampling, Another issue deserving attention is that of the game. the results cannot be generalized to the entire African- Both men and women acknowledge the existence of the game. American college student population. The findings, however, Research on love style and sexual victimization in dating offer insight into sexual coercion that has not been relationships revealed that men who endorsed a game-playing previously described and that have implications for further style of love were more likely to be sexually coercive (Russell research and educational programming. & Oswald, 2002). This finding warrants further research given that the participants in this study emphasized the game- References playing nature of sexual relationships. According to Madhubuti (1990) the game serves to meet Baier, J. L., Rosenweig, M. G & Whipple, E. G (1991). Patterns several needs in African-American dating relationships. of sexual behavior, coercion, and victimization of While on the surface, these needs appear to be only sexual university students. Journal of College Student in nature, the game allows material, emotional, social, and Development, 32,310-322. intellectual needs too be met as well (Burgest & Goosby, Brown, J. B. (1999). The use of focus groups in clinical 1985). For men who are characterized as sexual aggressors, research. In B. F. Crabtree, B. F. & W. L. Miller (Eds.), the additional need to be in control is met. For women, social, Doing qualitative research (pp. 109-124). Thousand material, and emotional needs are met. The game serves to Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. perpetuate sexual miscommunication through use of verbal Burgest, M. D. (1990). Sexual games in black malelfemale pressure and behavioral manipulation. According to some relations. Journal of Black Studies, 21 (I), 103-1 1 6. (Burgest & Goosby, 1985; Burgest, 1990), the use of games Burgest, M. D. & Goosby, M. (1985). Games in black male1 is counterproductive and prevents the development of female relationships. Journal of Black Studies,l5(3), genuine interpersonal relationships between African- 277-290. American males and females. The need for continued effort Busby, D. M. & Compton, S. V. (1997). Patterns of sexual toward personal and social skills building that focuses on coercion in adult heterosexual relationships: An interpersonal relationships is evident on college campuses. exploration of male victimization. Family Process, 36(1), College health education faculty, health service 81-94. personnel, counselors, and residence hall staff are well aware Fiebert, M. S. & Tucci, L. (1998). Sexual coercion: Men of the existence of sexual coercion on campus. As they victimized by women. Journal of Men's Studies, 6(6), continue to study the phenomenon, they need to seek an 127-137. understanding of the perceptions of different racidethnic Gross, W. C. & Billingham, R. E. (1998). Alcohol consumption groups, as well. Health educators should work cooperatively and sexual victimization among college women. with residence hall staff to moderate discussions among Psychological Reports, 82,80-82. residents using the same questions in this study with Haworth-Hoeppner, S. (1998). What's gender got to do with different raciallethnic groups. Benefits exist for the it: Perceptions of sexual coercion in a university participants of such focus groups, for as students begin to community. 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Communication Monographs, 62, 355-382. Violence and Victimization, 10(3), 203-215. Mynatt, C. R. & Allgeier, E. R. (1990). Risk factors, self- attributions, and adjustment problems among victims of sexual coercion. Journal ofApplied Psychology, 29(2), 13(1153. Want to know more about Health Education Advocacy? Visit the Health Education Advocate website: You can find Advocacy Alerts, Advocacy Resources, information about Health Education Legislation, and much more! Spring 2005, Vol. 37, No. 1 The Health Educator