Predicting the Likelihood of Verbal Coercion Across Race and Ethnicity Through Routine Activity Theory

• In Event: Using Theory to Understand Risk for Victimization

Abstract

National estimates suggests that one in three women in the United States have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime in the United States. Moreover, studies suggest women of color (WOC) experience higher levels of sexual violence than White women. Yet, there continues to be a dearth of research on WOC. Although research has increased over the years, studies overwhelmingly focus on rape by physical force as it is described to be the most common type of sexual assault leaving other types of sexual assault such as, verbal coercion (VC), understudied and in many cases, even considered less severe. This study seeks to better understand VC through a Routine Activity approach. More specifically, this study examines the likelihood of being verbally coerced into sex among Non-Hispanic (NH) Whites, NH Blacks, NH Asians, and Hispanics/Latinx women in the United States.

Author

• Ketty Fernández, Kean University