Injury - Youth History of Forced Sex
Summary Indicator Report Data View Options
Why Is This Important?
Nationally, about 1 in 5 women have experienced completed or attempted rape (an estimated 23 million women), and about 1 in 20 men (an estimated 1,692,000). Most victims are raped before the age of 18 years. The long-term impact of sexual violence victimization on suicide risk, mental health, and substance abuse has been well documented. Data from the 2015 New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS) indicate that 7.3% of high school students reported that they had been forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to. The YRRS data also indicate that youth with a history of forced sex had over twice the risk for alcohol use, tobacco use, and illicit drug use than youth who did not report a history of forced sex, and more than three times the risk for poor mental health outcomes, including suicide attempts and suicide ideation. Adverse health effects of forced sexual intercourse may be long-term and may include suicide ideation and attempts, poor mental health, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, chronic major depression, and alcohol and drug abuse.
Definition
History of forced sex among youth is measured by the percentage of NM high school students who answered "yes" to the question, "Have you ever been physically forced to have sexual intercourse when you did not want to?" on the 2015 NM Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey.
Data Sources
- U.S. data source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data
(https://nccd.cdc.gov/Youthonline) - New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey, New Mexico Department of Health and Public Education Department.
How the Measure is Calculated
| Numerator: | Number of students who indicate a lifetime history of forced sex |
| Denominator: | Number of high school students who completed the 2015 NM YRRS |
How Are We Doing?
The rate of forced sex has been trending downward among youth since data collection began in 2007; however, no significant decreases have been seen from year to year.
How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Rates of sexual violence in NM are slightly higher than the US rate. Data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicate that 10.3% of girls and 3.1% of boys in the United States had been physically forced to have sex at some point during their lifetime, compared to 10.6% of girls and 4.1% of boys in New Mexico.
What Is Being Done?
The NMDOH Office of Injury Prevention (OIP) supports sexual violence prevention and services. Prevention activities include work at all levels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?s conceptual ?Spectrum of Prevention? model, including individual-level education for youth, norms change through messaging strategies, and changes to organizational policy to prevent sexual violence. During FY16, OIP funded 11 sexual violence prevention programs that that adhered to ?Principles of Effective Prevention? and reached 4,814 students in six communities.
Evidence-based Practices
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend four strategies for the primary prevention of sexual violence: promoting social norms that protect against violence, teaching skills to prevent sexual violence perpetration, providing opportunities to support and empower girls and women, and creating protective environments. Specific norms that have been linked to future sexual violence perpetration include acceptance of rape myth and adherence to rigid gender norms. According to the Principles of Effective Prevention, prevention programs should be comprehensive, include varied teaching methods, provide sufficient dosage, be theory driven, provide opportunities for positive relationships, be appropriately timed, be socio-culturally relevant, include outcome evaluation, and involve well-trained staff.
Other Objectives
Children and adolescents who are members of marginalized communities are at increased risk for sexual violence victimization, and reducing this disparity is a priority for NMDOH OIP. In New Mexico, this includes youth who are experiencing housing instability (21.7% [17.4-26.7]), youth who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (18.9% [15.4-22.9]), youth who are living with physical disabilities (15.9% [13.3-18.9]), and youth who are foreign-born (9.4% [7.2-12.1]), Black or African American (10.5% [6.7-16.2]), and American Indian/Alaska Native (7.5% [5.8-9.8]).
Available Services
NM Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (505) 883-8020 Arise Sexual Assault Services (575) 226-4665 Community Against Violence (575) 758-8082 Resolve Personal Safety (505) 992-8833 ABQ Area Indian Health Service (505) 256-6717 La Pion SA Recovery Services (575) 526-3437 NM Asian Family Center (505) 717-2877 Rape Crisis Center of Central NM (505) 266-7712 Sexual Assault Services of NW NM (505) 325-2805 Silver Regional SA Support Services (575) 313-6203 Solace Crisis Treatment Center (505) 988-1951 Tewa Women United (505) 747-3259 Valencia Shelter Services (505) 565-3100
More Resources
References Black MC, Basile KC, Breiding MJ, et al. National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence survey. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2011: 15-26. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at: www.cdc.gov/yrbs. Accessed on December 16, 2016. Afifi TO, Enns MW, Cox BJ, Asmundson GJG, Stein MB, Sareen J. Population attributable fractions of psychiatric disorders and suicide ideation and attempts associated with adverse childhood experiences. Am J Public Health. 2008; 98(5): 946-952. Borowsky IW, Ireland M, Resnick MD. Adolescent suicide attempts: Risks and protectors. Pediatrics. 2001; 107(3): 485-493. Ullman S, Brecklin LR. Sexual assault history and suicidal behavior in a national sample of women. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2002; 32(2): 117-130. Kilpatrick DG, Ruggiero KJ, Acierno R, Saunders BE, Resnick HS, Best CL. Violence and risk of PTSD, major depression, substance abuse/dependence, and comorbidity: results from the National Survey of Adolescents. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003; 71(4): 692-700. Santaularia J, Johnson M, Hart L, Haskett L, Welsh E, Faseru B. Relationships between sexual violence and chronic disease: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2014; 14(1): 1286. Stahlman S, Javanbakht M, Cochran S, Hamilton AB, Shoptaw S, Gorbach PM. Mental health and substance use factors associated with unwanted sexual contact among US active duty service women. J Trauma Stress. 2015; 00: 1-7. Ackard DM, Neumark-Sztainer D, Hannan P. Dating violence among a nationally representative sample of adolescent girls and boys: associations with behavioral and mental health. J Gend Specif Med. 2002; 6(3): 39-48. Howard DE, Wang MQ. Psychosocial correlates of US adolescents who report a history of forced sexual intercourse. J Adolesc Health. 2005; 36(5): 372-379. Basile KC, DeGue S, Jones K, Freire K, Dills J, Smith SG, Raiford JL. STOP SV: A Technical Package to Prevent Sexual Violence. 2016. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hussey JM, Chang JJ, Kotch JB. Child maltreatment in the United States: Prevalence, risk factors, and adolescent health consequences. Pediatrics. 2006; 118(3): 933-942. Reed D, Reno J, Green D. Sexual violence among youth in New Mexico: risk and resiliency factors that impact behavioral health outcomes. Fam Community Health. 2016; 39(2): 92-102. Bachman R. Measuring Rape and Sexual Assault: Successive Approximations to Consensus. 2012; National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. Young BR, Desmarais SL, Baldwin JA, Chandler R. Sexual Coercion Practices Among Undergraduate Male Recreational Athletes, Intercollegiate Athletes, and Non-Athletes. Violence Against Women. 2016; 1077801216651339. Nation M, Crusto C, Wandersman A, Kumpfer KL, Seybolt D, Morrissey-Kane E, Davino K. What works in prevention: Principles of effective prevention programs. Am Psychol. 2013; 58(6-7): 449.
Health Program Information
Program evaluation includes measuring changes in attitudes and beliefs around rape myth, gender norms, and couple violence using a common survey instrument, and collecting qualitative data from teachers, program coordinators, and students. Changes in knowledge and attitudes were measured at pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up. The surveys were completed by 3084 students. Of the eleven programs evaluated, nine showed a statistically significant increase in rejection of rape myth at one-month follow-up; nine programs showed a significant increase in rejection of couple violence; and seven showed a significant increase in acceptance of flexible gender norms. Rates of sexual violence victimization significantly decreased in two intervention counties (Bernalillo and Santa Fe).