New Tool Potentially Offers Additional Insight into Sexual Violence Against Women in Bars and Clubs

Young men’s commonly held beliefs and attitudes about drinking, gender role stereotypes, and peer pressure may be key drivers impacting women’s sexual victimization in bars and clubs. That’s according to a recent study testing a new measurement tool designed to assess beliefs and attitudes related to men’s perpetration of sexual violence in drinking venues. Sexual violence, encompassing sexual harassment, unwanted touching, and persistence, as well as assault, is a pervasive problem with major emotional, health, and economic impacts. Most perpetrators are men, and most targets are women. While previous research has found that certain beliefs and attitudes are linked to sexual violence, existing research tools do not fully assess or account for beliefs and attitudes related to sexual violence occurring in drinking venues. In fact, many forms of sexual violence are so common in drinking venues that they are normalized and seen as socially acceptable among young men. Understanding men’s b

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