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The association between abuse and the perpetration of subtle sexual coercion: the role of approach and avoidance motivations
journal contribution
posted on 2019-05-01, 00:00 authored by Ellie Mullins, Gery KarantzasGery Karantzas© The Author(s) 2019. Little research has investigated the associations between abuse and subtle sexual coercion within romantic relationships and the mechanisms that may underpin this association. Specifically, no previous research has investigated whether approach and avoidance motivations for engaging in sexual coercion explain this association. The aim of this research was to investigate whether approach and avoidance motivations pertaining to the perpetration of subtle sexual coercion may mediate the perpetration of psychological and physical abuse and the perpetration of sexual coercion. A total of 117 heterosexual couples (mean age = 30.42 years) completed measures assessing their approach and avoidance motivations for sexual coercion, as well as reports of abuse perpetration (physical and psychological) and sexual coercion against their romantic partner. Findings revealed that men and women’s perpetration of psychological abuse (but not physical abuse) was positively associated with their own avoidance motivations for sexual coercion perpetration and that women’s perpetration of psychological abuse was positively associated with their partner’s approach and avoidance motivations for sexual coercion perpetration. Avoidance motives were also found to mediate the association between psychological abuse and sexual coercion perpetration for both men and women. The results of this study highlight the importance of exploring motives as a potential mechanism to help explain the associations between abuse and sexual coercion within romantic relationships.
History
Journal
Journal of social and personal relationshipsVolume
36Issue
5Pagination
1509 - 1526Publisher
Sage PublicationsLocation
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0265-4075eISSN
1460-3608Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2019, The AuthorsUsage metrics
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