Read more about her work here.
1. How would you describe the main idea or main takeaway from your most recent research or creative work to someone outside your field?
This paper coded college women’s narrative descriptions of their rape experiences into common typologies. Six sexual assault typologies were identified in these narratives. These included typologies that match up to what many people probably think about as representing a “typical” sexual assault including a forcible rape typology, and two types of substance use related assault typologies. We also identified some typologies that have not been the focus of much prior work, including a typology where the perpetrator under the pretext of either an initial date or a platonic hang out, unexpectedly pushes the woman for sex, often ignoring her refusals. We also identified a relationship abuse typology, where the sexual assault occurs along with other forms of coercion or abuse in the relationship, and/or where the perpetrator stalks or harasses the woman after the relationship ends.
2. What is the key paper or author/performer who has most inspired your recent research/creative work?
I had the privilege to recently spend about 1.5 years on a working group developing a new and far more comprehensive version of the Sexual Experiences Survey, the gold standard measure for assessing sexual victimization history. Serving on this working group with a diverse and accomplished group of scholars in the field of sexual violence served to deepen and expand my understanding of several aspects of sexual violence that I had not previously focused on in my career.
3. How do you see this research/creative piece contributing to new insights in the field/sparking conversation?
I think this paper has key implications for sexual assault prevention, education, and intervention. The findings showed that individuals who perpetrate sexual assault often escalate in their tactics rather than starting out using violence or threats. The findings also showed that substance use and violence often co-occur in sexual assault. To me, this suggests that sexual assault prevention needs to focus on teaching about freely given consent and how all these forms of coercion take away that freely given consent and likewise that we all have the right to our bodily autonomy. Similarly, there remains a need to focus on the impact of substance use in sexual assault, including both alcohol and marijuana use on one’s ability to recognize risky situations and consent to sex.
4. Can you describe the contributions of co-authors or collaborators who were essential to the success of this project?
Every semester I make sure to have a project in my lab where students can be actively involved. This paper was such a project. We all worked as a team to conceptualize and label the typologies in the women’s narratives.
5. What impact do you hope this work makes?
As I mentioned, I do hope that it leads to a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to sexual assault prevention. Overall, sexual assault has been siloed as a “women’s problem” rather than grappling with the fundamental issues about the messages teens and emerging adults receive about romantic relationships and sexuality. As a result, prevention has focused on teaching women how to stay safe from the stereotypical violent stranger rape, which represent a tiny fraction of all sexual assaults committed.
6. What is on deck for you as you get started on your next project?
I currently have a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH institute) to develop and evaluate an online group-based alcohol and dating violence prevention program for LGBTQ+ teens and their caregivers. I will be launching the initial open pilot of this program in the next few months.
7. Where and when do you feel you are the most productive/creative/inspired?
One of my primary self-care activities is running. I often write tricky sections of grant applications or papers in my head while running or solve thorny theoretical and methodological issues with projects while out on a run.