Sorority affiliation and rape-supportive environments: the institutionalization of sexual assault victimization through vulnerability-enhancing attitudes and behaviors

Cortney Ann Franklin

doi:10.7273/000005601

The current research uses survey data collected from a sample of college sorority and non-sorority affiliated women to investigate whether and to what degree female Greek membership institutionalizes victimization. Drawing from prior theory and empirical research on campus sexual assault, the feminist explanation for rape, routine activity theory, social learning theories, and self-control, this study tests a comprehensive model that identifies pertinent factors present among sorority environments to determine if Greek affiliation puts women at risk for rape. More specifically, this study answers three research questions: 1) do sorority women hold attitudes that are conducive to rape, 2) do sorority women engage in behaviors that increase their risk of rape, and 3) do these vulnerability-enhancing attitudes and behaviors predict illegal sexual assault victimization? Results indicate that sorority women do not significantly differ from non-sorority women in terms of their reported incidents of multiple forms of rape, including illegal sexual assault victimization, verbal coercion resulting in sexual intercourse, and threats of force or force resulting in attempted or completed rape. Path analytic techniques reveal, however, that sorority women are more likely to engage in particular vulnerability-enhancing behaviors than their non-affiliated counterparts and those particular behaviors are empirically correlated with various forms of sexual assault. Indeed, sorority women were more likely to engage in abusive patterns of alcohol consumption. They also reported more delayed assessments of threat and increased proximity to fraternity men as compared to independents. These behaviors were significantly correlated with sexual assault victimization so that women who more frequently consumed intoxicating substances were more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors, influencing their ability to appraise and respond to danger cues, thus increasing victimization likelihood. Further, women who reported delayed threat appraisals were more likely to report delayed risk responses, resulting in the increased likelihood of illegal sexual assault victimization. Finally, women in closer proximity to fraternity men were more likely to report illegal victimization. Results of this study find that particular pathways exist between sorority affiliation, vulnerability-enhancing behaviors, and rape victimization. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed and future research directions are proposed.

Sorority affiliation and rape-supportive environments: the institutionalization of sexual assault victimization through vulnerability-enhancing attitudes and behaviors

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