Comparing violence in sexual assaults perpetrated by intimate partners to those perpetrated by other known assailants and strangers


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

3388.0: Monday, December 12, 2005 - 4:30 PM

Abstract #105012

Janice A. Du Mont, EdD¹, Tonia Forte, MSc¹, and Deborah Parnis, PhD². (1) Centre for Research in Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 790 Bay Street, 7th Floor, Toronto, ON M5G 1N8, Canada, 416-351-3800 ext. 2705, janice.dumont@sw.ca, (2) Department of Sociology, Trent University, West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada

This study drew on data from Canada's most comprehensive on-line legal information system to examine the victim-perpetrator relationship in 221 sexual assault cases heard in Ontario between 1993 and 2001. Relationship was examined along a continuum of familiarity that included strangers [S] (28.5%), acquaintances [A] (30.1%), persons in a position of trust [PPT] (21.5%), and current or previous husbands or boyfriends [HB] (19.9%). Assault, trauma, court, and sentencing variables were examined by relationship type. We found that in terms of violence, coercion, and injury, HB sexual assaults were more similar to S assaults than to other known assailant assaults. For instance, vaginal and/or anal penetration was significantly more likely to occur where the perpetrator was a HB (78.4%) or S (83.0%) versus a PPT (57.5%). Similarly, both physical force and physical injury occurred more often in cases in which the perpetrator was a HB (62.2% and 43.2%, respectively) or S (64.2% and 47.2, respectively) versus a PPT (30.0% and 12.5%, respectively). Whereas psychological harm was less likely to have been mentioned in cases involving a HB (46.0%) than involving a PPT (80.0%), the type of assault perpetrated was more severe (e.g., involved weapon, resulted in wounding) in the former (30.6%) than the latter (7.5%). Furthermore, although the number of charges on which a perpetrator was convicted was greater among HB (mean=2.1) than S (mean=1.2) assaults, S tended to receive longer custodial sentences (means=28mos and 46mos, respectively).

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

identify the types of assault and trauma related factors that differentiate assaults by an current or previous husband or boyfriend (HB) from other known assailant assaults; recognize that in terms of violence, coercion, and injury, HB sexual assaults are more similar to stranger assaults than to other known assailant assaults; and understand that although HB may be convicted on more counts of sexual assault and other offences, they tend to be more leniently sentenced than strangers.

Keywords: Sexual Assault, Women's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Rape and sexual assault: Women's experiences and needs

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA