Faculty Collaboration Database

Gender Attitudes, Sexual Risk, Intimate Partner Violence, and Coercive Sex Among Adolescent Gang Members. J Adolesc Health 2019 May;64(5):648-656

Date

01/19/2019

Pubmed ID

30655119

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6478539

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.10.292

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85059862774 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   11 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: Adolescent gang members are at greater risk of poor sexual health outcomes than nongang members. Gang members' beliefs about gender may explain variation in their sexual health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine how gangs' and gang members' beliefs about gender are associated with sexual health outcomes, including sexual risk-taking, intimate partner violence, and coercive sex.

METHODS: Gang members (N = 281; 46% female; 73% black/African American, 25% Hispanic/Latino, 4% white, age = 14-19 years) from 32 gangs completed surveys. Multilevel models assessed how gang norms and individuals' beliefs about women/girls as romantic partners, gang members, and sexual partners were associated with sexual risk-taking, intimate partner violence, and coercive sex (forced sex and gang rape).

RESULTS: Gangs and individual gang members who held more equitable beliefs about girls' role as gang members were at increased risk of experiencing several negative outcomes, including intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration, forced sex victimization, and gang rape victimization. These associations were stronger for gangs with a higher ratio of male members to female members. In contrast, equitable beliefs about women/girls as romantic and sexual partners were protective against intimate partner violence and coercive sex victimization and perpetration.

CONCLUSION: Interventions that address gender beliefs among gang members may improve intimate partner violence and coercive sex. These programs may be most effective if they aim to improve equity in sexual and romantic relationships, rather than focusing on respect for female gang members.

Author List

Wesche R, Dickson-Gomez J

Author

Julia Dickson-Gomez PhD Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior
Aggression
Female
Humans
Intimate Partner Violence
Male
Masculinity
Peer Group
Sex Offenses
Sexism
Sexual Behavior