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Attitudes toward sexual abuse: Sex differences and construct validity

1992; Elsevier BV; Volume: 26; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0092-6566(92)90067-e

1095-7251

John Briere, Diane Henschel, Kathy Smiljanich,

Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

An "Attitudes toward Sexual Abuse" scale is introduced, and its reliability and validity in a study of university students is described. Attitudes supportive of sexual contact with children were associated with variables previously linked to sexual interest in children: male gender, use of pornography, greater numbers of sex partners, and greater endorsement of a scale measuring acceptance of sexual aggression against women. Such beliefs predicted both male and female university students' self-reported interest in having sex with a child, given the absence of detection or punishment, suggesting the potential importance of socially transmitted attitudes in the etiology of sexually abusive behavior.