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Violence / Aggression

I Didn’t Realize How Common It Was: A Mixed-Methods Study Examining Changes in Sexual Behavior and Perceptions of Sexual Assault and Consent as a Function of the #MeToo Movement

(PS8-75) I Didn’t Realize How Common It was: A Mixed-methods Study Examining Changes in Sexual Behavior and Perceptions of Sexual Assault and Consent as a Function of the #metoo Movement

Saturday, November 16, 2024

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM EST

Location: Franklin Hall, Level 4, Marriott Downtown

Author(s)

Stephanie B. Ward, M.S.

PhD Student in Clinical Psychology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Samantha Nardella, M.P.H.

Epidemiologist
Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Kate W. Hamilton, Psy.D.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist
CBT for Better Living, OCD and Anxiety Treatment
New York, New York, United States
Kate Walsh, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Abstract Text: Greater exposure to the #MeToo movement has been associated with increased awareness and concern about sexual assault in both quantitative and qualitative research. However, few have integrated qualitative and quantitative findings. In this mixed-methods study, we examined awareness and perceived legitimacy of the #MeToo movement and whether perceptions were differentially correlated with sociodemographic characteristics and personal attitudes. Changes in participants’ partnered sexual behaviors and conceptualizations of sexual assault and consent were also examined, as were changes in sexual assault survivors’ understandings of their own victimization experiences. Adults residing in the United States were recruited through CloudResearch to complete an online survey, and quantitative data from 680 participants (M age = 45.8, 60% women, 77.4% white) indicated moderate awareness and legitimacy perceptions of the #MeToo movement. Significant differences were observed by race (F = 4.28, p = .005) and sexual orientation (F = 8.17, p=.004), with Black and LGBQ+ participants endorsing greater #MeToo awareness. Significant associations were also observed for age and political views, with age inversely related to awareness (r = -.23, p < .001) and perceived legitimacy (r = -.17, p < .001), while liberal fiscal and social political views were positively correlated with awareness (rs = .36-.39, p < .001) and perceived legitimacy (rs = .39-.40, p < .001). Among 354 participants (M age = 45.0, 65.3% women, 76.4% white) who answered at least one open-ended question with regard to changes resulting from the #MeToo movement, thematic analysis revealed nine primary themes: (1) Degree of change, (2) Change in understanding, (3) More cautious, (4) Wrong and/or requires accountability, (5) Gendered social norms, (6) Easier to talk about, (7) #MeToo rhetoric, (8) Consequences for survivors, and (9) Empowerment, as well as several sub-themes. Qualitative responses were gendered such that men reported more changes to awareness while women reported more changes in their understandings of sexual assault and consent; however, unexpectedly, nearly all of the qualitative responses reflecting acceptance of rape myths were from white women in their 30s through 80s. Additionally, survivors highlighted both positive and negative emotional consequences of the #MeToo movement. Practitioners should be cognizant of how the #MeToo movement has influenced the general public’s perceptions and understandings of sexual assault in highly variable ways with discrepant implications for appropriate treatment approaches when working with individuals impacted by sexual violence.