Empowering College Women to Resist Rape

Incidence of sexual assault on female university students is about 20% to 25% during 4 years of attendance (with highest rates during the first 2 years). Researchers assessed the efficacy of a four-session program to reduce attempted and completed acts of sexual assault. The program, conducted at three Canadian universities, included instruction in how to assess sexual assault risk with male acquaintances, to respond to unwanted sexual behaviors, and to practice resistance techniques.

Some 900 first-year female students (age range, 17–24; primarily white) were randomized to the resistance program (intervention group) or usual access to rape-prevention brochures (control group); 420 in the intervention group and 430 in the control group completed the 12-month follow-up. At baseline, more than half reported histories of attempted sexual coercion and about one quarter had experienced attempted or completed rape. At 1 year, risk for completed rape was significantly lower in the resistance group than the control group (5.2% vs. 9.8%; relative risk reduction, 46.3%; 1 rape prevented for every 22 program participants). Benefit occurred early and persisted throughout the year. Rape attempts were also less likely in the resistance group (3.4% vs. 9.3%; RR reduction, 63.2%). Women with histories of completed rape were much more likely to report completed rape during the study period than those with no such histories (22.8% vs. 5.8%).