Large age gaps between sex partners can lead to power imbalances and is associated with risks such as intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual coercion and violence, and sexual risk behaviors. Additionally, having unequal gender norms are also associated with IPV, sexual coercion and violence, and sexual risk behaviors. However, little research has investigated these relationships from both a victim and perpetrator perspective, particularly among adolescent gang members. Sexual violence is more prevalent within gangs, where power imbalances and gender norms often sexualize female gang members and normalize sexual risk behaviors. Hypotheses were examined both from a victim (e.g., females experiencing IPV) and perpetrator (e.g., males perpetrating IPV) perspective. We hypothesized that large age gaps between sex partners and unequal gender norms toward women would be significantly related to IPV, rape, gang rape, group sex, pregnancy, and unprotected sex. The age gap was defined as females with male sex partners 5+ years older and males with female sex partners 5+ years younger. Participants were recruited from a mid-sized Midwestern city by outreach from research assistants and referral of contacts by study participants. Participants completed a 60 – 90 minute audio computer-assisted self-interview in a community-based setting. They were compensated $30 for their participation and an additional $10 for recruiting more participants. Adolescent gang members in this study include 107 female gang members (68% African-American, 19% Latina, mean age: 17.6 [SD = 1.4]) and 169 male gang members (62% African-American, 28% Latino, mean age: 17.7 [SD = 1.4]). As hypothesized, females with sex partners 5+ years older were significantly more likely to have experienced more IPV and males with younger sex partners were significantly more likely to perpetrate IPV in the past year (ps < 0.05). Age differences of sex partners were also significantly related to being gang raped among females and participating in a gang rape among males, and engaging in group sex among both females and males (ps < 0.05). Additionally, females with older sex partners were more likely to have been pregnant and males with younger sex partners were more likely to perpetrate rape (ps < 0.05). As hypothesized, endorsing unequal gender norms toward women was significantly related to IPV victimization among females and perpetration among males, and engagement in group sex in the past month among both females and males (ps < 0.05). Additionally, unequal gender norms were significantly related to male participants' perpetrating rape (p < 0.05). It is essential for researchers and public health practitioners to create programs for adolescent females to reduce or avoid risky situations, such as inability to negotiate condom use with older sex partners. Additionally, programs must be developed for both female and male gang members to help them understand and identify unequal gender norms, and interpersonal and sexual coercion/violence. Early intervention will also be necessary as these adolescent gang members are already engaged in extremely high-risk, coercive, and violent behaviors.

In October 2015, Planned Parenthood Federation of America conducted a nationally representative survey of 2,012 adults 18-95 to examine current knowledge and attitudes related to sexual assault and consent as well as levels of support for teaching about a variety of topics related to consent and sexual assault in middle and high schools. The survey found high levels of awareness of recent campus sexual assault issues and strong support for increasing prevention efforts and resources for dealing with sexual assault. Likewise, there was strong support for teaching about consent and sexual assault related topics in middle and high schools; however, most respondents reported they had never received formal education on topics related to either subject. Respondents differed in their reports about what behaviors constitute consent and many, particularly men, held misconceptions about consent and sexual assault. There were also some differences in definitions by race/ethnicity and age that will be explored in the presentation. These findings validate the need for more sexual assault prevention interventions and public education campaigns to increase understanding of consent and reduce incidence of sexual assault among both youth and adults.

Women who experienced sexual assault may be predisposed to risks of STDs, including HIV. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) has been recommended for HIV prevention for exposure that occurred during sexual assault, but awareness among women has been insufficient. As part of an online study to educate Black women about PEP and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), we recruited 91 women over the age of 18 to explore their sexual behaviors and knowledge or PEP and PrEP. Among the sample the prevalence of sexual assault was 60.5% and 35.2% prior to age 18 and as an adult, respectively. Eighty-four percent indicated they knew someone who had experienced sexual assault, and at least 26.4% knew four or more individuals who have experienced sexual assault. While only 20.9% heard of PEP before they watched the video, after watching the video, 96.7% reported that they would seek out PEP if they were ever raped or felt that they might have been exposed to HIV; and 93.4% reported that they would recommend to another woman. This data suggests how learning about PEP could useful for women who might share information about PEP with other women at risk for sexual assault, given that most already knew such survivors of this victimization. Increasing awareness of PEP among women may not only increase HIV prevention efforts, but encourage women who have been victims of sexual assault to disclose their assault and seek medical treatment.

introduction: Sexual violence among American Indian and Native Alaskan (AI/NA) persons in the United States (US) is a significant medical and public health issue. Data consistently demonstrating an increased rate of sexual assault and rape among AI women as compared to the general US population has led to landmark provisions for AI/NA communities in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Following its initial passage in 1994, all three of the VAWA's reauthorizations have designated funding explicitly to address sexual-violence in AI/NA communities. While the majority of current sexual violence policy efforts focus on assisting adult women survivors with service provision and changes in law enforcement practices of perpetrators, data remain sparse regarding the prevalence and impact of sexual violence among AI/NA youth—both boys and girls. Existing data on youth sexual violence rates either compare AI/NA youth only with whites, or combine AI/NA youth with additional races, into an “Other” category. Additional data is critical, however, given that AI/NA children have increased rates of factors associated with sexual violence, including significantly higher rates of poverty, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, depression and substance abuse as compared to the general population. Additional information regarding sexual violence prevalence rates as compared to other vulnerable minority populations can provide valuable information to frame future funding, prevention and intervention efforts. Thus, our study describes the trends in prevalence of reported rape among AI/NA youth as compared to other races, from 2003 to 2013, and further examine trends based on gender. methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of rape prevalence using the Youth Risk Behavioral Survey results for AI/NA, Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, and White participants between 2003 and 2013. Within each survey year, 2-sample proportion tests were conducted between AI/NA and a comparison race. Analysis was then stratified by gender, using Fischer's Exact tests for comparison. results: AI/NA youth consistently had the highest proportion of reported rape, which persisted when stratifying by gender, as compared to other races. Furthermore, AI/NA adolescents were the only race with an upward trend in rape prevalence as compared to other races. Overall, AI/NA girls had a higher prevalence of rape as compared to AI/NA boys. However, while differences between AI/NA girls and other races were not significantly different in most recent surveys (2011, 2013), the overall trend of rape prevalence among AI/NA boys is increasing, and is significantly higher as compared to other races. discussion: Our study emphasizes the need to direct additional research regarding causes of and interventions for the relatively high prevalence of rape among AI/NA youth. Furthermore, because rape among boys is relatively under-researched, the alarming increasing and significantly higher prevalence of rape among AI/NA boys warrants additional investigation. These findings can also inform funding priorities for the upcoming VAWA reauthorization in 2018.