(PS10-63) Cultural Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Sexual Assault Among Hispanic and Non-hispanic White Women

Abstract Text: Prior research on sexual assault has focused primarily on non-Hispanic White college women, with research on Hispanic/Latino college women being sparse, despite Hispanics/Latinos being a fast-growing population in the U.S. To date, studies comparing differences in the prevalence of sexual assault among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White college women have produced mixed findings. Notably, research indicates that Hispanic college women report similar mental health sequelae as non-Hispanic White women following a sexual assault; thus, factors that protect or increase their risk is an area worthy of further investigation. Latino cultural values, such as familism (i.e., prioritizing family needs over individual desires and providing mutual support) may serve as one such protective factor. Research also has found that U.S. born Mexicans are at greater risk for sexual assault compared to Mexican immigrants, suggesting that acculturation to U.S. culture may increase risk for sexual assault. Acculturation also has been linked to greater alcohol and cannabis use, which are both commonly used among college students and are risk factors for sexual assault. The associations between acculturation and risk factors for sexual assault underscore the need to explore the role of cultural factors on this risk.

The objective of this study was to examine whether ethnicity moderated the effects of cultural protective factors and risk factors on sexual assault experiences among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White college women. Participants included 210 freshman college women, who identified as Hispanic or non-Hispanic White. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring sexual assault severity, four subscales of acculturation (i.e., ethnic identity, mainstream comfort, perceived discrimination, and social affiliation), familism, alcohol use, and cannabis use. Multiple regression analysis revealed that ethnicity was associated significantly with more severe sexual assault (β = - 0.41, p = .002). A follow-up analysis using independent sample t-tests revealed that non-Hispanic White college women reported significantly more severe sexual assault experiences (M = 2.08, SD = 1.71) than Hispanic college women (M = 1.32, SD = 1.55, t (205) = 3.25, p <.001). Cultural factors were not associated significantly with sexual assault severity. These findings suggest that non-Hispanic White college women, relative to Hispanic college women, may be at greater risk for more severe sexual assault. While familism and acculturation were not associated significantly with sexual assault severity, the role of cultural protective and risk factors among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White college women requires further examination. Future research should investigate cultural processes such as acculturation and familism among Hispanic women who are less acculturated than Hispanic college women in the current sample. Additionally, other cultural processes not examined in this study (e.g., religiosity) may also influence sexual assault risk and warrant further exploration. Finally, there is a need for developing and improving upon measures that tap cultural processes that may be protective for Hispanic women.