Maladjustment Correlates Associated with Sexual Perpetration Tactics

Memorial Union Ballroom 214C

This project completed a partial replication and extension of a prior study (Norton-Baker, Russell, & King, 2018) regarding tactical differences in sexual perpetration victimization strategies. Respondents (n = 559) completed the Revised Sexual Experiences Survey-Long Form Perpetrator (SES-LFP) before being assigned to different macro-tactical groups (i.e. Non-Violent, Coercive, Aggressive, Polytactic). Membership to groups of micro-tactics of sexual perpetration was then assigned (sexual harassment, non-consensual distribution of sexual content, voyeurism, exhibitionism, sexual coercion, sexual coercion facilitated by substances, sexual perpetration, sexual perpetration facilitated by substances, and multiparticipant offenders). Participants completed the PID-5 as well as other measures of maladjustment. Polytactic perpetrators had consistently higher PID-5 domain and facet scores with evidence of other forms of maladjustment (e.g. higher time spent incarcerated, higher rates of job termination, higher rates of relationship instability). Significant differences were found between micro-tactic groups on both PID-5 scores and other indicators of maladjustment. These findings suggested that perpetrators of sexual perpetration can be differentiated in both their macro/micro-tactics and levels of personality maladjustment. Systematic efforts to examine tactical differences in perpetrators may enhance the prediction, prevention, and treatment of sexual perpetration.