A great deal of attention has been focused on child sexual abuse
in recent years. The present study reports attitudes and beliefs of
824 male and female college students concerning sexual abuse, and the
participants' own experience with such abuse. Results indicate that
women have much stronger pro-social beliefs, attitudes, and emotional
reactions to sexual abuse and to abusers and victims than men do. In
addition, 6% of men and 13% of women participants reported that they
had been sexually abused as children or adolescents, while equal
proportions of males and females reported that they were sexually
approached by a potential perpetrator. These results are discussed in
terms of socialization experiences of males and females in our
society, and the literature regarding helping behaviors and compassion
for others perceived as helpless and in need of aid. In particular,
females may be abused more often than males, even though both sexes
are approached in equal frequency, because females have been
socialized to be more compliant and responsive to the needs of others,
while males are perpetrators more often than females because males
have been socialized to be more aggressive, powerful, and
dominant.