Teen dating violence and the COVID-19 pandemic: trends from a longitudinal study in Texas.

PURPOSE: Teen dating violence (TDV) is a global public health and safety issue causing health impacts to youth people. This study aimed to examine: (1) the impact of the pandemic on TDV victimisation rates and (2) socioecological factors associated with sustained risk for TDV victimisation during the first year of COVID-19. METHODS: Data are from an ongoing randomised controlled trial of a TDV prevention programme in Texas (n=2768). We conducted annual assessments in 2019-2021. We used regression modelling to assess demographic, individual, peer and family factors associated with TDV risks. RESULTS: TDV rates declined from 11.9% in 2019 to 5.2% in 2021. While demographic, peer and family/household factors were not associated with TDV victimisation during the pandemic, individual-level factors (ie, early sexual debut, substance use, acceptance of violence and prior TDV involvement) were related to COVID-era risks. Only early sexual debut was uniquely linked to TDV victimisation risk the first year of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: While TDV rates declined during the pandemic, previous victimisation, substance use and early sexual debut remained potent risks for relationship harm.

Firearm access, carriage and use in an ethnically diverse sample of young adults in Texas, USA.

Background Despite the high rates of firearm ownership and firearm-related injuries and mortalities in Southern US states, understandings on the factors contributing to these are lacking.Methods Using wave 10 (2021) data from a longitudinal study, we examined firearm-related experiences among 636 ethnically diverse young adults (mean age=26 years; 62% female) in Texas, USA.Results Just over half of participants had ready access to firearms, with 22.3% having carried a firearm outside of their home, 4.9% having been threatened with a firearm by a romantic partner and 4.4% by a non-romantic partner. More firearm access and carriage were reported in males, white participants and those with >US$50 000 income. More females than males had been threatened with a firearm by a romantic partner, but more males than females had been threatened by a non-partner. Participants with recent financial difficulties were proportionally more likely to be threatened with a firearm than those without difficulties.Conclusion Findings emphasise the alarming rate of firearm access and carriage in Texas and highlight the disparities in firearms experiences by sociodemographic characteristics.

Abstinence beliefs in early adolescence and sexual risk behavior two years later.

INTRODUCTION: The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate and sexually transmitted infection rates among developed countries. One common approach that has been implemented to reduce these rates is abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that advocate for delaying sexual intercourse until marriage. These programs focus on changing adolescents' beliefs toward abstinence until marriage; however, it is unclear whether adolescents' beliefs about abstinence predict their sexual behavior, including sexual risk behavior (SRB). An alternative approach may be encouraging youth to delay their sexual debut until they reach the age of maturity, but not necessarily until marriage. METHODS: To address this question, we compare the longitudinal association between abstinence beliefs (i.e., abstaining completely until marriage) and beliefs about delayed sexual debut with subsequent SRB 24 months later. The harmonized data set included 4620 (58.2% female, Mage = 13.0, SDage = 0.93) participants from three randomized controlled trials attending 44 schools in the southern United States. Negative binomial regressions were employed to examine the association of abstinence until marriage beliefs and beliefs regarding delaying sex with SRB. RESULTS: We identified that beliefs supporting delaying sex until an age of maturity were associated with lower odds of engaging in SRB, such as having multiple sex partners and frequency of condomless sex, for both sexes. However, stronger abstinence beliefs had no significant associations with all SRB outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest prevention programming that focuses on encouraging youth to delay sex until an appropriate age of maturity may be more effective at preventing SRB and consequent negative sexual health outcomes.

Sexual violence in early adolescence is associated with subsequent teen pregnancy and parenthood.

Being a victim of sexual violence (SV) is associated with risk for teen pregnancy in cross-sectional research. However, longitudinal data are necessary to determine if SV victimization plays a causal role in early pregnancy. To address this gap in research, we test whether experiencing SV victimization in early adolescence is associated with pregnancy and having children by mid-adolescence. The current sample comprised 4594 youth (58% female; 51% Hispanic; 39% Black) attending 44 schools in the southern United States. Self-reported data were collected via audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) when students were in 7th or 8th grade and again approximately 24 months later. Approximately 2.9% of boys and 8.2% of girls reported SV victimization at baseline. At follow-up, 3.4% of boys and 4.0% of girls reported being involved with one or more pregnancies; 1.1% of boys and girls reported having one or more children. Being a victim of SV at baseline was associated with pregnancy and having a child at follow-up for girls. SV was not related to outcomes among boys. The present findings indicate that girls victimized by SV are at risk of becoming pregnant and becoming teen parents. The combined sequelae of SV and teen pregnancy impair health, economic, and social functioning across the lifespan and carry forward into future generations. Future research should explore mechanisms through which victimization confers risk for pregnancy to inform prevention strategies.

Inconsistencies in Adolescent Self-Reported Sexual Behavior: Experience from Four Randomized Controlled Trials.

To examine the degree, correlates, and implications of inconsistent self-report data on sexual risk behaviors of adolescents. We analyzed data from four longitudinal group-randomized controlled trials of evidence-based HIV/STI/pregnancy prevention programs in Texas and California from 2000 to 2010. Across- and within-time logical inconsistencies in sexual behavior survey responses were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression. Rates of any inconsistencies ranged from 12 to 18% across the four trials. In all trials, rates were higher in males than in females. Age, normative beliefs, and race/ethnicity were most strongly associated with inconsistencies. We found substantial rates of inconsistencies in adolescents' self-reports of their sexual behavior, which did not occur at random. Studies should routinely report observed rates of inconsistencies and methods used to adjust for them so that any biases in the population to which the study generalizes are understood by public health practitioners and policy-makers looking to adopt programs for their particular population.

High School FLASH Sexual Health Education Curriculum: LGBTQ Inclusivity Strategies Reduce Homophobia and Transphobia.

Homophobic and transphobic beliefs that lead to bias-based harassment remain a critical concern for young people in the USA. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of an inclusive comprehensive sex education program (High School FLASH) on homophobic and transphobic beliefs. Data from this study come from a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the impact of High School FLASH on students' sexual behaviors and related outcomes with 20 schools in two U.S. regions (Midwest and South). Following the baseline survey, the 20 schools were randomly assigned to receive FLASH or a comparison curriculum. Ninth and 10th grade students completed follow-up surveys 3 and 12 months after the instructional period. We examined changes in homophobic beliefs using multilevel linear regression models in the full sample and two sub-groups: straight cisgender young people versus those who identified as not straight or cisgender. Mean scores on the homophobic and transphobic beliefs scale were statistically significantly lower among young people receiving FLASH relative to the comparison at both the 3- and 12-month timepoints (p-values for adjusted mean differences were < 0.01, n = 1357 and 1275, respectively). Specifically, FLASH's positive impact on reducing homophobic and transphobic beliefs was statistically significant for straight and cisgender youth at both survey follow-ups (p < 0.01, n = 1144 and p = 0.05, n = 1078, respectively); the effects for the LGBTQ sub-group reached statistical significance at only the final follow-up (p = 0.01, n = 197). Our results show that carefully designed, inclusive comprehensive sexual health education programs like High School FLASH can play a role in promoting better school climates for all youth by reducing beliefs that may lead to bullying, violence, and victimization.

The link between school climate and mental health among an ethnically diverse sample of middle school youth.

School climate consistently relates to adolescent adjustment across academic, socioemotional, and behavioral domains. Although past research highlights the impact of school climate on youths' experience of internalizing symptoms and violent behavior, examination of potential links with specific externalizing processes is limited. The current study examined associations between middle school students' perceived school climate and internalizing and externalizing mental health symptoms. A positive school climate was hypothesized to be inversely related to all mental health measures. Seventh grade students (N = 2768; 50% female) were recruited from 24 Texas middle schools. Participants completed baseline self-reports of perceived school climate across three dimensions (student-student relationships, student-teacher relationships, and awareness/need of reporting violence) as well as self-reports of internalizing (i.e., depression and anxiety) and externalizing (i.e., impulsivity and hostility) symptoms. Multilevel regression analyses were implemented to test all hypotheses, controlling for participant sex and race/ethnicity. Results indicated student-student relationships were negatively related to depressive symptoms, student-teacher relationships were positively related to anxiety and negatively linked to hostility, and help-seeking/reporting awareness was inversely related to all four indices of mental health. The current research underscores the impact of school climate on adolescents' psychological adjustment and emphasizes the need to address awareness and responsivity in reporting concerning school behavior.

Condom Use and Error Experience Among Young Adolescents: Implications for Classroom Instruction.

We examine condom failure and use error experienced by high school youth in two regions of the United States. Data are from a baseline survey of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate FLASH, a sexual health education curriculum for high school students. Participants were 1,597 ninth- or 10th-grade students in health class who had parental consent and who assented to participate in the study. This study examines condom use behavior among students who reported vaginal or anal sex at baseline. Of the 222 participants who reported having vaginal or anal sex in the 3 months prior to baseline survey, 180 of them reported using a condom at least once. Of these youth, 70.6% reported that they did not squeeze the tip of the condom before sex, 25.0% of youth reported that they did not roll the condom all the way down to the base of the penis, and 49.4% reported that they did not hold the base of the penis when pulling out; 36.9% reported experiencing condom breakage or slippage. The frequency of condom error and/or failure reported by young adolescents in this study indicates a need for further education on potential condom use errors with an emphasis on the correct steps for using a condom to prevent condom failure. High rates of error and failure suggest an opportunity for educators to tailor preexisting condom use interventions to further reinforce the skills necessary for effective condom use and to educate on what to do in the event of condom failure.

Adolescent Dating Violence Prevention Program for Early Adolescents: The Me & You Randomized Controlled Trial, 2014-2015.

Objectives. To test the efficacy of Me & You, a multilevel technology-enhanced adolescent dating violence (DV) intervention, in reducing DV perpetration and victimization among ethnic-minority early adolescent youths. We assessed secondary impact for specific DV types and psychosocial outcomes.Methods. We conducted a group-randomized controlled trial of 10 middle schools from a large urban school district in Southeast Texas in 2014 to 2015. We used multilevel regression modeling; the final analytic sample comprised 709 sixth-grade students followed for 1 year.Results. Among the total sample, odds of DV perpetration were lower among intervention students than among control students (adjusted odds ratio = 0.46; 95% confidence interval = 0.28, 0.74). Odds of DV victimization were not significantly different. There were significant effects on some specific DV types.Conclusions. Me & You is effective in reducing DV perpetration and decreasing some forms of DV victimization in early middle-school ethnic-minority students.

Replication of It's Your Game Keep It Real! in Southeast Texas.

Despite the recent efforts of the Office of Adolescent Health to replicate programs with demonstrated efficacy, there are still few evidence-based HIV, sexually transmitted infection (STI), and teen pregnancy prevention programs that have been replicated in "real-world" settings. To test the effectiveness of It's Your Game…Keep It Real! (IYG), an evidence-based STI and pregnancy prevention program for middle schools, the curriculum was implemented by teachers in urban and suburban middle schools in Southeast Texas from 2012 to 2015. IYG was evaluated using a group-randomized wait-list controlled effectiveness trial design in which 20 middle schools in nine urban and suburban school districts in Southeast Texas were randomized equally, using a multi-attribute randomization protocol, to either the intervention condition (received IYG) (n = 10 schools comprising 1936 eligible seventh graders) or the comparison condition (received usual care) (n = 10 schools comprising 1825 eligible seventh graders). All students were blinded to condition prior to administering the baseline survey. The analytic sample comprised 1543 students (n = 804, intervention; n = 739, comparison) who were followed from baseline (seventh grade) to the 24-month follow-up (ninth grade). Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to assess behavioral and psychosocial outcomes at follow-up. There were no significant differences in initiation of vaginal or oral sex between study conditions at follow-up. However, at 12-month follow-up, compared with students in the comparison condition, students in the intervention condition reported increased knowledge, self-efficacy, and perceived favorable norms related to HIV/STIs, condoms, and/or abstinence; decreased intentions to have sex; and increased intentions to use birth control. Knowledge outcomes were statistically significant at 24-month follow-up. This IYG effectiveness trial did not replicate the behavioral effects of the original IYG efficacy trials. However, it adds to the growing literature on the replication of evidence-based programs, and underscores the need to better understand how variations in implementation, setting, and measurement affect the behavioral impact of such programs.Clinical trial registration clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03533192).

Prevalence and Correlates of the Perpetration of Cyber Dating Abuse among Early Adolescents.

Much is known about the prevalence and correlates of dating violence, especially the perpetration of physical dating violence, among older adolescents. However, relatively little is known about the prevalence and correlates of the perpetration of cyber dating abuse, particularly among early adolescents. In this study, using a predominantly ethnic-minority sample of sixth graders who reported ever having had a boyfriend/girlfriend (n = 424, 44.2 % female), almost 15 % reported perpetrating cyber dating abuse at least once during their lifetime. Furthermore, using a cross-sectional design, across multiple levels of the socio-ecological model, the individual-level factors of (a) norms for violence for boys against girls, (b) having a current boyfriend/girlfriend, and (c) participation in bullying perpetration were correlates of the perpetration of cyber dating abuse. Collectively, the findings suggest that dating violence interventions targeting these particular correlates in early adolescents are warranted. Future studies are needed to establish causation and to further investigate the relative importance of correlates of the perpetration of cyber dating abuse among early adolescents that have been reported among older adolescents.

Relationship of Age for Grade and Pubertal Stage to Early Initiation of Substance Use.

INTRODUCTION: Studies suggest students who are substantially older than the average age for their grade engage in risky health behaviors, including substance use. However, most studies do not account for the distinct reasons why students are old for their grade (ie, grade retention vs delayed school entry) or for their pubertal stage. Thus, whether the association between age for grade and substance use is confounded by these factors is unknown. We sought to determine whether age, grade, or pubertal stage were associated with early substance use. METHODS: Cross-sectional Healthy Passages Wave I survey data from 5,147 fifth graders and their caregivers in Alabama, California, and Texas from 2004 through 2006 were analyzed in 2014. Logistic regressions examined whether older age for grade, grade retention, delayed school entry, or pubertal stage were associated with use of any substance, cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of fifth graders reported trying at least 1 substance. Among boys, advanced pubertal stage was associated with increased odds of cigarette, alcohol, or other drug use, whereas delayed school entry was associated with lower odds of any substance, alcohol, or other drug use. Among girls, advanced pubertal stage was associated only with higher odds of alcohol use, and delayed school entry was not associated with substance use. Neither older age for grade or grade retention was independently associated with substance use after controlling for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Advanced pubertal stage may be a more important risk factor for substance use than age for grade. Pediatricians should consider initiating substance use screening earlier for patients with advanced pubertal stage.

Effects of the It's Your Game . . . Keep It Real program on dating violence in ethnic-minority middle school youths: a group randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: We examined whether It's Your Game . . . Keep It Real (IYG) reduced dating violence among ethnic-minority middle school youths, a population at high risk for dating violence. METHODS: We analyzed data from 766 predominantly ethnic-minority students from 10 middle schools in southeast Texas in 2004 for a group randomized trial of IYG. We estimated logistic regression models, and the primary outcome was emotional and physical dating violence perpetration and victimization by ninth grade. RESULTS: Control students had significantly higher odds of physical dating violence victimization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20, 1.92), emotional dating violence victimization (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.36, 2.24), and emotional dating violence perpetration (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.11, 2.26) than did intervention students. The odds of physical dating violence perpetration were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Program effects varied by gender and race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: IYG significantly reduced 3 of 4 dating violence outcomes among ethnic-minority middle school youths. Although further study is warranted to determine if IYG should be widely disseminated to prevent dating violence, it is one of only a handful of school-based programs that are effective in reducing adolescent dating violence behavior.

Safety and Academic Outcomes of College Campus-Based Advocacy Services.

Intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual assault, and stalking are consequential public health and safety issues with wide reaching impacts on emerging adults, including those on college campuses in the United States. In response to high rates of violence among college student populations, universities are developing campus-based advocacy (CBA) programs, which aim to support survivors of interpersonal violence through supportive connections, resource acquisition, and safety planning. However, little data exists related to their impact on key student-survivor outcomes. Thus, this study aims to understand (a) the approach CBA programs use to address safety and academic concerns of student-survivors, and (b) the initial outcomes of CBA programs on safety and academics among students engaged in CBA services at five universities in one Southwestern state. The project used a longitudinal mixed-methods approach, with data collection activities including qualitative interviews with student survivors (n = 29) and a longitudinal, web-based, quantitative survey with matched analyses of safety and academic outcome measures from 115 student survivors who participated in an initial survey and follow-up survey after 6 months. Findings demonstrate key pathways through which CBA programs support survivors and facilitate positive safety and academic outcomes. These pathways include education, supportive connection, and resource access. Analysis of longitudinal survivor data demonstrate substantial reductions in sexual violence, IPV, stalking, and school sabotage at 6-month follow-up compared to initial survey, as well as significant reductions in academic disengagement for student survivors. The findings of the study powerfully demonstrate the positive impact of CBA programs on survivor and campus outcomes. Furthermore, programs not only enhance individual survivor safety and academic outcomes but also support the overall climate and safety of hosting universities.

Racial Discrimination and Interpersonal Violence in Asian American Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: Racial discrimination targeting Asians in the United States has increased sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a well-established link with mental/physical health outcomes, little is known about how racial discrimination relates to interpersonal violence, particularly in adolescents. To address this gap in knowledge, we examined cross-sectional and longitudinal (1-year follow-up) associations between racial discrimination and interpersonal violence perpetration and victimization in Asian American adolescents in a large US city. METHODS: Data from Waves 3 (2020) and 4 (2021) of a randomized clinical trial of a school-based violence prevention program were examined. We limited our sample to participants who identified as Asian American (n = 344; 48.3% female; Meanage = 14.6 years at Wave 3). RESULTS: At Wave 3, 26.5% of the adolescents reported experiencing some form of racial discrimination, including 18.3% experiencing verbal harassment due to race and 16.0% reporting inequitable treatment due to race. Relative to their nonvictimized counterparts, adolescents who experienced racial discrimination were more likely to report being a victim of bullying and teen dating violence cross-sectionally and being a bullying victim longitudinally. Moreover, those who experienced racial discrimination reported more bullying and teen dating violence perpetration concurrently, as well as more dating violence perpetration 1 year later. DISCUSSION: In the understudied population of Asian American adolescents, we found that experiencing racial discrimination contributes to both interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration. Youth violence prevention could include strategies addressing racial discrimination.

Self-Efficacy to Refuse Sex Mediates the Relationship Between Dating Violence Victimization and Sexual Risk Behavior.

PURPOSE: While cross-sectional studies have shown that teen dating violence (TDV) victimization is linked to sexual risk behavior (SRB), the pathway between these variables is not well-understood. To address this knowledge gap, we explore the mediating role of self-efficacy to refuse sex in the longitudinal relationship between physical TDV victimization and subsequent SRB among adolescents. METHODS: Self-report data from three prior longitudinal studies were harmonized to create a single aggregated sample of primarily racial and ethnic minority adolescents (N = 4,620; 51.4% Hispanic, 38.5% Black, and 58% female) from 44 schools in the southwest U.S. Participants' physical TDV victimization at baseline (seventh and eighth grade), self-efficacy to refuse sex at 12-month follow-up, and SRB at 24-month follow-up was tested using mediation models with bias corrected bootstrapped confidence intervals. All regression models controlled for age, race, parental education, SRB at baseline, and intervention status. RESULTS: Physical TDV victimization at baseline was associated with refusal self-efficacy at 12 months and SRB (e.g., frequency of vaginal and oral sex, lifetime number of vaginal sex partners, and number of vaginal sex partners in the past three months without condom use) at 24 months. Refusal self-efficacy mediated the link between physical TDV victimization and increased risk of SRB for females and males, to a lesser extent. DISCUSSION: Adolescent victims of physical TDV report diminished self-efficacy to refuse sex, predisposing them to engage in SRBs, including condomless sex.

Sexual violence against sexual minority women in STEM: Compound backlash.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has found that gender parity (i.e., the ratio of women to men) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines is associated with sexual violence (SV) victimization for women. This finding may reflect a type of backlash wherein SV is a means of punishing women who are perceived to be violating their gender roles and threatening the male hegemony. Sexual minorities, who are likewise disproportionately victims of SV, report experiencing heterosexist hostility and harassment in STEM disciplines. There is reason to suspect that the combination of these marginalized identity positions (e.g., a sexual minority woman in gender-balanced STEM) may amplify perceived gender role violations and exacerbate the risk of SV victimization. METHODS: Data were collected from undergraduate women at five institutions of higher education in the United States. Sampling was stratified by STEM vs. non-STEM majors and male-dominated vs. gender-balanced majors. Sexual violence was measured via the revised Sexual Experiences Survey. We tested the interaction of sexual minority status and gender parity in STEM on SV via fixed effects OLS regression. RESULTS: Sexual minority women in gender-balanced STEM were most frequently victims of SV. Women in male-dominated STEM majors were at no greater risk of SV victimization, regardless of sexual minority status, than their peers in non-STEM majors. IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest the possibility of a compound form of backlash, wherein women are exponentially victimized because their sexual identity and their membership in these STEM fields are seen as dual challenges to the male hegemony. If true, this could exacerbate health disparities rather than promote health equity for these sexual minority women. Findings point to the ongoing need to challenge hegemonic gender norms, focus prevention programs on populations most at risk, and ensure they are provided the appropriate resources for support.

Risk for dating violence and sexual assault over time: The role of college and prior experiences with violence.

Objective: Despite increased research on emerging adults and interpersonal violence, evidence on the role of college attendance in risk for dating violence and sexual assault is mixed. We examined the role of college attendance on victimization risk in emerging adulthood. Participants: Participants were a diverse longitudinal sample of 630 emerging adults. Methods: We conducted regression analyses to examine the association of college attendance by type (community and public/private four year) with subsequent victimization, controlling for prior victimization and other factors. Results: Participants who attended public and private four-year colleges had significantly less risk for physical dating violence (OR = 0.35, p < 0.001), but not prior sexual or psychological dating violence or other sexual assault. Prior victimization was the most significant predictor of victimization in emerging adulthood. Conclusions: The context of higher education and prior victimization experience should be considered for addressing dating violence and sexual assault in emerging adulthood.

Suicidal ideation and psychological dating violence victimization-A short report.

As the second leading cause of death among Americans aged 10 to 34, suicide is a serious public health concern. One potential predictor of suicidality is dating violence (DV) victimization, such as any physical, psychological, or sexual abuse by a current or former intimate partner. However, little longitudinal data exists on the relationship between suicidal ideation and DV. To address this gap in knowledge, we leverage data from two years of our longitudinal study Dating It Safe. Specifically, we examine whether physical and psychological DV victimization is associated with subsequent suicidal ideation in our ethnically diverse sample of young adults (n = 678; mean age = 25 at Wave 9; 63.6% female). While physical DV victimization was not linked to suicidal ideation over time, psychological DV victimization was (χ2 = 7.28, p = 0.007 for females; χ2 = 4.87, p = 0.027 for males). That psychological abuse was potentially as or more impactful than physical violence is consistent with the broader literature on the deleterious impacts of psychological violence, as well as the limited longitudinal literature looking at DV and suicidality specifically. These findings reinforce the notion that psychological abuse is as consequential as physical violence in the long-term, has unique impacts on mental health, and points to the need for both suicide and violence intervention programs to address this form of dating violence victimization.

Sexual Violence against Women in STEM: A Test of Backlash Theory Among Undergraduate Women.

It has been argued that increasing the number of women in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields could mitigate violence against women by advancing gender equality. However, some research points to a "backlash" effect wherein gains in gender equality are associated with heighted sexual violence (SV) against women. In this study, we compare SV against undergraduate women majoring in STEM disciplines to those majoring in non-STEM disciplines. Data were collected between July and October of 2020 from undergraduate women (N = 318) at five institutions of higher education in the United States. Sampling was stratified by STEM versus non-STEM majors and male-dominated versus gender-balanced majors. SV was measured using the revised Sexual Experiences Survey. Results indicated that women majoring in STEM disciplines that are gender balanced reported more SV victimization in the form of sexual coercion, attempted sexual coercion, attempted rape, and rape compared to their peers in both gender-balanced and male-dominated non-STEM and male-dominated STEM majors. These associations held even after controlling for age, race/ethnicity, victimization prior to college, sexual orientation, college binge drinking, and hard drug use during college. These data suggest that the risk of repeated SV victimization within STEM populations may be a threat to sustained gender parity in these fields and ultimately to gender equality and equity. Gender balance in STEM should not be furthered without addressing the potential use of SV as a potential means of social control over women.