Physical and technology-facilitated sexual violence victimization in a population-based sample of Norwegian adults

• In Event: Sexual violence

Abstract

Sexual violence victimization is unfortunately common, particularly among females. In recent years, digital media platforms have emerged as a new arena for such victimization. However, there is limited knowledge on the overlap, similarities, and differences between physical and technology-facilitated sexual violence victimization, particularly in population-based samples. Knowledge is also scarce on victimization rates in important minority groups, such as according to sexual orientation, among individuals with disabilities, and in ethnic minorities. In the present study, we combine the Norwegian Crime Surveys from 2022 and 2023 and investigate self-reported sexual violence victimization in a population-based sample of Norwegian adults aged 16 to 84 (n = 50,411; 49.5% female). The surveys mapped past-year physical and technology-facilitated sexual violence victimization, a range of social characteristics of the victims, the gender of the assailant, and the relationship between the victim and the assailant. The analyses show more than twice as high rates of physical sexual violence victimization compared to technology-facilitated sexual violence victimization. Young girls are more often exposed to sexual violence compared to older respondents and boys, but the gender discrepancy is more pronounced for physical sexual violence than for technology-facilitated sexual violence. Victimization rates for both forms of sexual violence are also higher in all sexual minority groups compared to heterosexuals, with particularly elevated rates among bisexuals. The same applies to participants with disabilities. Participants with backgrounds from non-Western countries more often report technology-facilitated sexual violence compared to Norwegian-born respondents but less often physical sexual violence. Most of the perpetrators for both forms of sexual violence are males, even though a sizeable proportion of the assailants are unknown for technology-facilitated sexual violence. Many report not knowing the assailant prior to the victimization experience, both for physical and technology-facilitated sexual violence. The findings point to important directions for developing tailored prevention efforts.

Authors

• Lars Roar Frøyland, NOVA – Norwegian Social Research, OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

• Mette Løvgren, NOVA – Norwegian Social Research, OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway