EXPECTATIONS REGARDING ACQUAINTANCE SEXUAL AGGRESSION AMONG SORORITY AND FRATERNITY MEMBERS

Among women, college is a high risk period for sexual assault by male acquaintances. Differences in expectations held by men and women may c ontribute to misinterpretation of social cites and subsequent sexual a ggression and may impair women's ability to respond effectively. This paper presents findings from a predominantly Caucasian sample (85.9%) of college sorority (n = 66) and fraternity (n = 34) members regarding the social context within which they interact and their expectations regarding perpetration of and response to sexual aggression. Results s howed differences in men's and women's expectations and responses, and in particular highlighted how men's expectations were related to wome n's resistance of unwanted sex. Understanding the cognitive processes that men and women draw upon in social interactions can be useful for developing sexual aggression prevention and resistance interventions.