Neoliberalisation and 'lad cultures' in higher education

This paper links HE neoliberalisation and ‘lad cultures’, drawing on interviews and focus groups with women students. We argue that retro-sexist ‘laddish’ forms of masculine competitiveness and misogyny have been reshaped by neoliberal rationalities to become modes of consumerist sexualised audit. We also suggest that neoliberal frameworks scaffold an individualistic and adversarial culture among young people that interacts with perceived threats to men’s privilege and intensifies attempts to put women in their place through misogyny and sexual harassment. Furthermore, ‘lad cultures’, sexism and sexual harassment in higher education may be invisibilised by institutions to preserve marketability in a neoliberal context. In response, we ask if we might foster dialogue and partnership between feminist and anti-marketisation politics

A Cross-cultural Test of Nancy Jay’s Theory About Women, Sacrificial Blood and Religious Participation

I examine the theoretical insights of Nancy Jay’s 1992 investigation of patrilineal sacrificial rituals and their role in the restriction of women in religious rituals. I use the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample, a representative sample of preindustrial societies, to test the strength of patrilineality and other factors identified as subordinating women in preindustrial societies. A societal pattern of male inheritance of property and patrilineal descent are the strongest predictors of women being restricted or excluded from major public religious rituals. The implications of this pattern for modern societies are discussed

Creating Change in Intercollegiate Athletics: The Sexual Assault Prevention Paradigm for Athletic Departments

In 2011, the Office for Civil Rights issued a “Dear Colleague Letter” instructing universities to take action regarding sexual assault on college campuses. Specifically, universities must better educate students on the prevention of sexual assault, in the hope of reducing violence against women. Previous research is inconclusive on the involvement of intercollegiate student-athletes in incidences of sexual assault; however, recent high-profile cases of sexual misconduct at universities indicate that student-athletes are not immune to this issue. The purpose of this study was to explore how sexual assault is viewed within the culture of intercollegiate athletics, including education, occurrence, and prevention. Through interviews with former intercollegiate athletes, three main findings emerged: (1) Participant Knowledge, (2) Sexual Assault Within the Context of College Athletics; and (3) Creating Change in Athletic Department Culture. Using grounded theory, these themes were combined to create the Sexual Assault Prevention Paradigm for Athletic Departments

Sexual Assault on the College Campus: A Partial Test of Male Peer Support Theory

Researchers have identified a number of variables that influence sexual assault on college campuses; peer influence being one of them. According to the sexual assault literature, more than a quarter of victims of sexual assault report their offender was a fraternity member. Additionally, the literature shows that in many sexual assault cases, both the victim and the offender were intoxicated. In applying Walter DeKeseredy\u27s theory of Male Peer Support -- all-male groups that legitimate women abuse -- to on-campus fraternity organizations, this study examines the link is between the drinking and rape cultures promoted by fraternities, specifically, the use of excessive alcohol by fraternity members and the likelihood of sexual assault. The data from this study are obtained from a 2005-2006 survey Prevalence, Context, and Reporting of Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault on Campus of Two Large Public Universities in the United States. Analysis of descriptive statistics shows that fraternity members are more likely to sexually assault than non-fraternity members. The results of this study fill the gaps and extend the knowledge of sexual assault committed by fraternity members. The findings of this current study will aid sexual assault researchers in future research. The results of this study will be useful to universities, students and communities across the nation

Defining Acquaintance Rape: College Students\u27 Perceptions of Sexual Consent and Coercion

Perceptions of rape have evolved dramatically over the past decade. Prior to the second wave of the feminist movement, rape was perceived to be committed by a psychotic man against a woman. The feminist movement brought the term acquaintance rape into the popular lexicon and into the forefront of women\u27s consciousness. As a result, throughout the 1970s and 1980s state governments enacted laws to prohibit sexual assault, or expanded existing rape laws to include a variety of relationships or sexual acts. However, public perceptions of rape did not evolve as rapidly. Despite legislative efforts, there is no universally understood definition of rape. As a result there is great confusion over what constitutes rape. The purpose of this study is to examine how college students perceive acquaintance rape. Focusing on common elements of anti-rape movement legislation, the researcher developed a survey to assess perceptions of acquaintance rape through scenarios involving verbal non-consent and verbal coercion, in a variety of sexual acts. Survey scenarios depicted same-sex offenders and victims, female offenders/male victims, and male offenders/female victims engaging in various types of sexual acts under the influence of alcohol. Survey participants were to determine if the scenario was acquaintance rape or consensual sexual contact. The researcher hypothesized that variation in gender of offender and victim affect whether an individual labels an event acquaintance rape or consensual sex . Moreover, participants were asked to assign blame (offender, victim, or alcohol). Analyses revealed that individuals do have differing perceptions of acquaintance rape. Study participants, both male and female, were more likely to label the male offender/female victim scenario as acquaintance rape and label all other scenarios as consensual sex. Male and female participants differed in their designation of the acquaintance rape label, with female participants significantly more likely to label the male offender/male victim and female offender/male victim scenarios as acquaintance rape. The designation of acquaintance rape did not necessarily correspond to the presence of coercion and lack of consent. Moreover, the designation of acquaintance rape did not necessarily respond to offender responsibility and the lack of responsibility on behalf of the victim

The Trail, 1990-11-15

https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/thetrail_all/2548/thumbnail.jp

An exploratory model of MPR offence progression: the role of self-regulation and male peer support in duo rape offences

Multiple perpetrator rape (MPR) has been the focus of relatively little empirical scrutiny, and the difficulty faced by the legal system in securing convictions (Horvath & Kelly, 2009). The primary aim of this thesis is to provide a meaningful exploration of interpersonal dynamics at work in MPR offences with a particular focus on those offences committed by two perpetrators (duos), the most commonly occurring type of MPR (DaSilva, Woodhams, & Harkins, 2012; Lambine, 2012). Better understanding has been sought here through the development of an exploratory offence progression model that attempts to synthesize two empirically supported offending theories: self-regulation and male peer support. Mixed methodological techniques were adopted, beginning with a quantitative study of police recorded MPR cases comparing duo, trio, and 4+ offending groups. This was followed by a qualitative study, focusing upon the possible role of male peer support in propagating atmospheres, dialogue, and behaviours conducive to misogyny and woman abuse, in a sample of sportsmen. Finally, incarcerated duo rapists were interviewed to gain perspective on the possibility of male peer support influencing their offending behaviours. Findings from thematic analyses of the qualitative studies suggest that interactions of certain all-male groups can result in an atmosphere of normalised misogyny that is an important contributor to individual acceptance of woman abuse, and in some cases, MPR in duo offending groups. The proposed model found some empirical support from study findings, and was elucidated and further refined in light of findings from each study, which are further elaborated in the context of reflexivity, limitations, and directions for the future

Sexual Aggression on Campus: Alcohol Use, Peer Support, and Fraternity Membership

Sexual violence is a serious problem on college campuses. Nearly twenty-five percent of men report perpetrating some form of sexual violence during their first four years of college. This study examined how dynamics related to membership in all male groups (e.g., fraternities) interacted with alcohol use to predict sexual violence, specifically whether membership in a fraternity affected the relationships between frequency of drinking, peer attitudes, and sexual violence in a sample of college men across time. Data were collected, as part of a larger study, from undergraduate males at a large Southeastern university. In the final model, frequency of drinking and peer support did significantly predict sexual violence perpetration across time for non-fraternity men but not for fraternity men. These findings demonstrate that differences exist between fraternity men and non-fraternity men and illustrate the need for further in-depth research of fraternities