This article presents the preliminary results of an ongoing investigation concerning separation and/or divorce sexual assault in rural Ohio.
Interview findings from 20 interviews conducted with rural women indicate that separation and/or divorce sexual assault is a serious problem in rural Ohio. Findings also suggest that victims of separation and/or divorce sexual assault also experience other types of abuse. Victimization in these cases is strongly related to men’s consumption of pornography, their belief in the ideology of family patriarchy, alcohol and drug consumption, and other risk factors such as male peer support for violence. Rural female participants were recruited via advertisements in free newspapers and posters in public locations. The preliminary findings presented here were based on the 20 interviews conducted as of July 2003. Criteria for study inclusion are being at least 18 years of age and having ever experienced any type of unwanted sexual contact when attempting to end a relationship with a live-in male partner or husband. The authors caution that the results are derived from a small biased sample and can therefore not be generalize to the entire rural Ohio population. Tables, notes, references