(PS8-87) Sexual Touching While Sleeping: Relationship Between Sexual Assault Victimization and Perpetration

Several decades of empirical research suggest that sexual assault affects millions of individuals worldwide each year. Recent research suggests a rise in lifetime prevalence statistics in the U.S., with approximately 21.3% of women and 2.6% of men reporting being raped, and 37% of women and 17.9% of men experiencing unwanted sexual contact (Dworkin et al., 2021). Rates appear to be even higher among sexual and gender minorities, with 75% of bisexual women, 43% of lesbian women, 30% of gay men, and 43% to 50% of transgender individuals reporting sexual assault in their lifetime (Walters et al., 2013). 

In the criminal justice system, sexual contact with a sleeping person is often explicitly noted as an illegal activity in the penal code of state, military, and Title IX statutes. Similarly, in the current research literature, sexual touching while sleeping has been framed as sexual assault or coercion (Isaacs et al., 2021; Kern & Peterson, 2020). However, research in this area is still nascent. Recent research (Drouin & Cornelius, in press) suggests that 32.6% had been woken up by a person touching them sexually, 11.3% completely slept through a sexual touching, and 8.2% had woken up to find their clothes had been removed.

The current multisite, cross-sectional research builds on previous research to examine the relationship between previous experiences of sexual perpetration and victimization and sexual touching while sleeping. Undergraduate students (N=390; 78% female; MAge=19.17) completed online measures examining sexual touching while sleeping and previous experiences of sexual assault, both perpetration and victimization. Those who reported a history of either perpetration or victimization of sexual violence reported that they were more likely to wake up to a person sexually touching them (perpetration: t = -2.977; p = .00; victimization: t= -3.158; p= .00). Those with a history of sexual aggression were more likely to report being sexually touched by a committed partner while sleeping (perpetration: ²(1, N = 378) = 7.99, p = .00; victimization: ²(1, N = 378) = 19.68, p = .00).  Interestingly, those who reported a history of sexual assault victimization were not more likely to report completely sleeping through sexual touching (t=-1.585; p=.11), although those who reported a history of sexual violence perpetration were more likely to report completely sleeping through sexual touching (t = -4.136; p =.00).

Sleeping persons cannot consent, yet this study suggests that many individuals, particularly those with a history of sexual assault perpetration or victimization, are experiencing sexual touching in this context. The data bespeak a need for continued nuance in sexual assault prevention/treatment programs, considering personal history, relationship context and common beliefs about sexual touching while sleeping.