MEN PRESSURED AND FORCED INTO SEXUAL EXPERIENCE

A predominantly heterosexual sample of 204 college men were asked to r eport incidents of pressured or forced sexual touch or intercourse sin ce age 16. About 34% indicated they had received coercive sexual conta ct: 24% from women, 4% from men, and 6% from both sexes. Contact invol ved only sexual touching for 12% and intercourse for 22%. Sexual conta ct was pressured in 88% of the 81 reported incidents by tactics of per suasion, intoxication, threat of love withdrawal, and bribery. In 12% of the incidents, sexual contact was forced through physical restraint , physical intimidation, threat of harm or harm. Contact was initiated by an acquaintance or intimate in 77% of incidents. The negative emot ional impact of male contact was rated significantly higher than the i mpact of female contact. Men with and without coercion experience did not differ, however, for scale scores on sexual esteem depression, and preoccupation. Interviews with 10 subjects revealed complex reactions to coercive male and female contact, including doubts about one's sex uality, resentment of unexpected or forceful contact, and fear of tell ing others about the event.