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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Susan M. Lee-Rife, MHS, MA, Department of Sociology & Population Studies Center, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, PO Box 1248, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, 734-424-2628, susanml@umich.edu

This study investigates whether the experience of sexual aggression has a negative impact on two different educational outcomes for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa. A closer examination of the school context is particularly warranted in South Africa to determine if sexual aggression can help to explain the increasing school failures and repeated grades that girls experience relative to boys throughout adolescence. While a wide range of social and economic factors certainly influence this divergence in educational trajectories, the high levels of sexual aggression targeting females throughout South African society suggests that it is worth examining as a potential contributor to the delays. Relative to other potential consequences of sexual aggression, education has received little attention in the research on this topic. This is surprising in light of the demonstrated potential for sexual aggression to disrupt other life domains and given the centrality of education in the lives of young people around the world. Moreover, the few studies done on this topic have been hampered by methodological issues that limit the generalizability of their findings. This study adds to the sparse literature on the topic by investigating whether experiencing sexual aggression influences subsequent level of educational engagement and academic achievement. Furthermore, it addresses some of the methodological limitations of previous research by using a large, population-based sample, including an appropriately broad array of background variables, and paying close attention to the temporal ordering of variables in the models. Policy implications and directions for future research are also discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• describe the level of sexual aggression experienced by South African females
• understand whether and how sexual aggression influences educational outcomes
• articulate the policy implications of sexual aggression and future research needs.

Keywords: Sexual Assault, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No