Abstract
The present study explored perceived sexual norms and behaviors related to sexual risk and pregnancy involvement among adolescent males (ages 13 to 20) participating in programs for perpetrators of dating violence. The purpose of this study was to generate hypotheses regarding the contexts and mechanisms underlying the intersection of adolescent dating violence, sexual risk and pregnancy. Six focus groups were conducted (N = 34 participants). A number of major themes emerged: 1) male norm of multiple partnering, 2) perceived gain of male social status from claims of sexual activity, 3) perception that rape is uncommon combined with belief that girls claiming to be raped are liars, 4) perception that men rationalize rapes to avoid responsibility, 5) condom non-use in the context of rape and sex involving substance use, 6) beliefs that girls lie and manipulate boys in order to become pregnant and trap them into relationships, and 7) male avoidance of responsibility and negative responses to pregnancy. The combination of peer-supported norms of male multiple partnering and adversarial sexual beliefs appear to support increased male sexual risk, lack of accountability for sexual risk, and rationalization of rape and negative responses to pregnancy. Further research focused on the context of male sexual risk and abusive relationship behaviors is needed to inform intervention with young men to promote sexual health and prevent rape, dating violence, and adolescent pregnancy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brener N, Lowry R, Kann L, et al. Trends in sexual risk behaviors among high school students—United States, 1991–2001. MMWR. 2002;51:856–859.
CDC. Cases of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States, 2004. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats/2004SurveillanceReport.pdf. Accessed December 10, 2005.
CDC. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2004. Available at: http://www. cdc.gov/std/stats/04pdf/2004SurveillanceAll.pdf. Accessed December 10, 2005.
Henshaw SK. Unintended pregnancy in the United States. Fam Plann Perspect. 1998;30(1):24–29,46.
Silverman JG, Raj A, Mucci LA, Hathaway JE. Dating violence against adolescent girls and associated substance use, unhealthy weight control, sexual risk behavior, pregnancy, and suicidality. JAMA. 2001;286(5):572–579.
Silverman JG, Raj A, Clements K. Dating violence and sexual risk in a representative sample of high school students. Pediatrics. 2004;114(2):e220–e225.
Roberts TA, Auinger P, Klein JD. Intimate partner abuse and the reproductive health of sexually active female adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2005;36(5):380–385.
Wingood GM, DiClemente RJ, McCree DH, Harrington K, Davies SL. Dating violence and the sexual health of black adolescent females. Pediatrics. 2001;107(5):E72, May.
Decker MR, Silverman JG, Raj A. Dating violence and sexually transmitted disease/HIV testing and diagnosis among adolescent females. Pediatrics. 2005;116(2):e272–e276, Aug.
Campbell JC, Woods AB, Chouaf KL, Parker B. Reproductive health consequences of intimate partner violence. A nursing research review. Clin Nurs Res. 2000;9(3):217–237.
Eisenstat SA, Bancroft L. Domestic violence. N Engl J Med. 1999;341(12):886–892.
Gazmararian JA, Petersen R, Spitz AM, Goodwin MM, Saltzman LE, Marks JS. Violence and reproductive health: current knowledge and future research directions. Matern Child Health J. 2000;4(2):79–84, Jun.
Hathaway JE, Mucci LA, Silverman JG, Brooks DR, Mathews R, Pavlos CA. Health status and health care use of Massachusetts women reporting partner abuse. Am J Prev Med. 2000;19(4):302–307.
Dunkle KL, Jewkes RK, Brown HC, Gray GE, McIntryre JA, Harlow SD. Gender-based violence, relationship power, and risk of HIV infection in women attending antenatal clinics in South Africa. Lancet. 2004;363(9419):1415–1421.
Raj A, Silverman JG, Amaro H. Abused women report greater male partner risk and gender-based risk for HIV: findings from a community-based study with Hispanic women. AIDS Care. 2004;16:519–529.
Bauer HM, Gibson P, Hernandez M, Kent C, Klausner J, Bolan G. Intimate partner violence and high-risk sexual behaviors among female patients with sexually transmitted diseases. Sex Transm Dis. 2002;29(7):411–416.
El Bassel N, Fontdevila J, Gilbert L, Voisin D, Richman BL, Pitchell P. HIV risks of men in methadone maintenance programs who abuse their intimate partners: a forgotten issue. J Subst Abuse. 2001;12(1–2):29–43.
Raj A, Santana MC, LaMarche A, Amaro H, Cranston K, Silverman JG. Perpetration of partner violence associated with sexual risk behaviors among young adult men. Am J Public Health. In press.
Crosby RA, Graham CA, Yarber WL, Sanders SA. If the condom fits, wear it: a qualitative study of young African-American men. Sex Transm Infect. 2004;80:306–309.
Harper GW, Gannon C, Watson SE, Catania JA, Dolcini MM. The role of close friends in African American adolescents' dating and sexual behavior. J Sex Res. 2004;41(4):351–362.
Hoppe MJ, Graham L, Wilsdon A, Wells EA, Nahom D, Morrison DM. Teens speak out about HIV/AIDS: focus group discussions about risk and decision-making. J Adolesc Health. 2004;35(345):e27.
MacPhail C, Campbell C. “I think condoms are good but, aai, I hate those things”: condom use among adolescents and young people in a Southern African township. Soc Sci Med. 2001;52(11):1613–1627.
Bauman LJ, Berman R. Adolescent relationships and condom use: trust, love and commitment. AIDS Behav. 2005;9(2):211–222.
DeVisser R. Delayed application of condoms, withdrawal and negotiation of safer sex among heterosexual young adults. AIDS Care. 2004;16(3):315–322.
Kaestle CE, Halpern CT. Sexual activity among adolescents in romantic relationships with friends, acquaintances, or strangers. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005;159:849–853.
Lesser J, Tello J, Koniak_Griffin D, Kappos B, Rhys M. Young Latino fathers' perceptions of paternal role and risk for HIV/AIDS. Hispanic J Behav Sci. 2001;23(3):327–343.
Robinson N. The use of focus group methodology—with selected examples from sexual health research. J Adv Nurs. 1999;29(4):905–913.
National Institute of Justice. Batterer intervention: program approaches and criminal justice strategies. Washington, District of Columbia: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs; 1998.
Pollner M. The effects of interviewer gender in mental health interviews. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1998;186(6):369–373.
Lamb ME, Garretson ME. The effects of interviewer gender and child gender on the informativeness of alleged child sexual abuse victims in forensic interviews. Law Hum Behav. 2003;27(2):157–171.
Glaser BSA. The Discovery of Grounded Theory. Chicago: Aldine; 1967.
Atlas.ti. The Knowledge Workbench. [computer program]. Version WIN 5.0 (Build 066). Berlin: Scientific Software Development; 1997–2001.
Weitzman EA. Analyzing qualitative data with computer software. Health Serv Res. 1998;34:1241–1263.
Nzioka C. Perspectives of adolescent boys on the risks of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections: Kenya. Reprod Health Matters. 2001;9(17):108–117.
Varga CA. How gender roles influence sexual and reproductive health among South African adolescents. Stud Fam Plann. 2003;34(3):160–172.
Poulin C, Graham L. The association between substance use, unplanned sexual intercourse and other sexual behaviours among adolescent students. Addiction. 2001;96:607–621.
Santelli JS, Robin L, Brener ND, Lowry R. Timing of alcohol and other drug use and sexual risk behaviors among unmarried adolescents and young adults. Fam Plann Perspect. 2001;33(5):200–205.
Graves KL, Leigh BC. The relationship of substance use to sexual activity among young adults in the United States. Fam Plann Perspect. 1995;27(1):18–33.
Lisak D, Miller PM. Repeat rape and multiple offending among undetected rapists. Violence Vict. 2002;17(1):73–84.
Ampofo AA. “When men speak women listen”: gender socialization and young adolescents' attitudes to sexual and reproductive issues. Afr J Reprod Health. 2001;5(3):196–212.
Krulewitch CJ, Roberts DW. Adolescent pregnancy and homicide: findings from the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Child Maltreat. 2003;8(2):122–128.
Kitzinger J. The methodology of focus groups: the importance of interactions between research participants. Sociol Health Illn. 1994;16:103–121.
Barker GU. Where the boys are: attitudes related to masculinity, fatherhood, and violence toward women among low-income adolescent and young adult males in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Youth Soc. 1997;29(2):166–196.
Acknowledgements
The research described was supported by grants to J. Silverman from the Division of Reproductive Health/CDC (U36/CCU300430-23) and to E. Miller from the W.T. Grant Foundation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Silverman, Decker, Reed, and Hathaway are with the Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Boston, MA, USA; Rothman and Raj are with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston, MA, USA; Miller is with the Harvard Medical School, Department of Adolescent Medicne, Boston, MA, USA.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Silverman, J.G., Decker, M.R., Reed, E. et al. Social Norms and Beliefs Regarding Sexual Risk and Pregnancy Involvement among Adolescent Males Treated for Dating Violence Perpetration. JURH 83, 723–735 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-006-9056-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-006-9056-3