Retrospective data from a survey of Australian undergraduate universit
y students indicated that sexual coercion leading to sex play and sexu
al intercourse is a feature of dating behavior in high school. Fifty-t
hree percent of 217 females reported that a boy had ''overestimated th
e level of sexual intimacy...desired,'' while 45 percent of 72 males r
eported that a girl had ''underestimated the level of sexual intimacy.
..desired.'' While data was not gathered on ethnic origin, the majorit
y of students were Australian born, although family of origin would ha
ve been culturally varied. The data illustrate sexual coercion leading
to both sex play and intercourse, with a number of factors being impl
icated in its occurrence, including alcohol and drugs and males ''sayi
ng things they didn't really mean, '' through to threat and use of for
ce. They support that the existence of sexual coercion among high scho
ol students, a population that has received little research attention
in this area, is comparable to its existence in the college/university
years.