The Spiritual Trauma Experienced by Victims of Sexual Abuse by Catholic Clergy

Most of the published literature on clergy abuse of children has addressed the emotional and psychological effects of sexual abuse common to all victims. The literature published by Church-related sources has consistently addressed the impact of clergy abuse on the Church as an institution as well as the problems and treatment needs of the clergy abusers. Little has been written or even explored about the spiritual trauma suffered by clergy victims. This article examines some of the symptoms and possible recovery from the spiritual dimension of post abuse trauma.     

Sexual body esteem and mindfulness in college women

Literature suggests that many young women hold negative perceptions of their sexual bodies and facial features. This may be related to deficits in mindfulness, manifested by rigid and automatic thoughts, feelings, and behavior about one's sexual body. The present study examined the relationships between the five factors of mindfulness measured by the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and sexual body esteem, measured by the Sexual Attractiveness subscale of the Body Esteem Scale (BES) in 79 college women. A multiple regression was performed to examine the relationship between sexual body esteem and the factors of mindfulness. The Observing and Describing subscales were significantly and positively predictive of sexual body esteem while Non-reactivity to Inner Experience was significantly and negatively predictive of sexual body esteem. This relationship may have implications for future research and clinical practice.     

Sexual-Assault History and Long-Term Physical Health Problems: Evidence From Clinical and Population Epidemiology

Having a history of sexual assault is associated with both poor general health and limitations in physical functioning, as well as with specific health problems such as chronic pelvic pain, premenstrual disturbance, other gynecologic symptoms, fibromyalgia, headache, other pain syndromes, and gastrointestinal disorders. In studies evaluating the possible role of depression in these associations, depression among sexually assaulted persons did not account for their poorer health. Although there are unanswered questions in the literature on the associations between sexual assault and health, existing findings are consistent with standard criteria for inferring causal relationships from observational data. For example, many assault-health associations are supported by multiple, independent studies, and many demonstrate dose-response relationships (i.e., more incidents of sexual assault, or more severe assaults, are associated with more adverse health outcomes).     

Negotiated nonmonogamy and male couples

One issue that has the potential to confound family or couples therapists working with male couples is the issue of nonmonogamy. For many therapists, sexual nonexclusivity challenges fundamental clinical assumptions that "affairs," or extra-relationship sex or romantic involvements, are symptoms of troubled relationships and are always a form of "sexual acting out." This article explores the issue of sexual exclusivity and nonexclusivity within male couples. In order to achieve both clinical and cultural competency in work with male couples, therapists need to challenge their cultural biases regarding monogamy.     

Sexual behaviours among dyadic vehicle occupants

Sexual activity while driving is a risky behaviour frequently found across media. However, much is unknown about the practices and roles that dyadic occupants of vehicles (i.e. a driver and passenger) perform when engaging in sexual activity while driving. To cover this gap, a content analysis of sexually explicit media (SEM) was conducted on a sample of 208 videos taken from Pornhub.com. The videos portrayed a naturalistic driving situation of a driver of a moving vehicle engaging in sexual activity with a passenger. Videos were coded for sexual behaviours and characteristics of the vehicle occupants (gender and role). Drivers were generally male, while passengers were female. A range of sexual activities while driving were coded, including oral sex, unclothed and clothed masturbation, varying levels of nudity, and ejaculation. Drivers appear to be the focus of sexual attention, as they are generally the ones receiving sexual acts from the passenger, and predominantly ejaculating. Additionally, female passengers perform oral sex on drivers more often than male passengers, and female vehicle occupants tend to have greater levels of nudist exposure than males. This study highlights the complexities of sexual activity while driving and patterns for consideration when developing interventions.     

Psychological and socio-demographic variables associated with sexual risk behavior for sexually transmitted infections/HIV

New diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV are rising in the adult population. The main objective of this study was to analyze whether knowledge of STIs/HIV, worry about STIs/HIV and pregnancy, and self-efficacy to refuse sex are predictors of sexual risk behaviors among Spanish young and adults. The study sample was composed of 1,106 young and adults of both sexes aged between 17 and 55 years. Results showed that being single, homosexual, having been tested for HIV, having previously contracted an STI, having a college education and earning a monthly income of €900 or more were the characteristics associated with higher scores in knowledge of STIs/HIV. Self-efficacy to refuse sex predicted most vaginal and anal sexual behaviors (i.e., age at vaginal and anal sex initiation and the number of couples that have remained vaginal sex). We also found that participants with greater knowledge of STIs/HIV reported older age at vaginal sex initiation and higher condom use in the first vaginal sexual contact. We consider that these findings can be useful for the development of STI/HIV prevention programs.     

Sexuality and the drive for muscularity: Evidence of associations among British men

Previous studies have documented associations between sexuality and body image, but the directionality of this association is unclear among men. This study examined whether men's drive for muscularity can be considered a correlate of their sexuality. A community-based sample of 292 heterosexual men from London, UK, completed a survey consisting of measures of drive for muscularity, sociosexuality, sexual assertiveness, sexual esteem, and sexual sensation seeking. A multiple regression analysis showed that greater drive for muscularity was predicted by more unrestricted sociosexuality (i.e., a greater proclivity for short-term, transient relationships), greater sexual sensation seeking, and greater sexual assertiveness, once the effects of participant age and body mass index had been accounted for. Possible avenues for intervention based on a sex-positive approach are discussed in conclusion.     

The influence of sexual harassment frequency and perceptions of organizational justice on victim responses to sexual harassment

Organizational justice theory was used to understand the conditions that influence how women respond when sexually harassed. Specifically, this study examined whether sexual harassment frequency interacts with perceptions of four types of organizational justice (procedural, distributive, interpersonal, and informational) to predict two types of victim responses (confrontation and reporting). With data collected from 257 female employees, it was found that the interaction between sexual harassment frequency and perceptions of distributive justice and the interaction between sexual harassment frequency and perceptions of procedural justice predicted reporting, whereas the interaction between sexual frequency and perceptions of distributive justice predicted confrontation. The interaction between sexual harassment frequency and perceptions of informational justice predicted both confrontation and reporting. Implications for organizations are discussed.     

Examining cognitive development from a conceptual change point of view: The framework theory approach

Sexual socialization refers to how, through social interaction, an individual acquires and internalizes culture-specific knowledge, values and attitudes about sexuality. Little, however, is known about how an individual's genetic characteristics modify this process, or if individuals gravitate towards specific environments according to their genetic characteristics. The aim was to explore whether adolescents' genetic predispositions modify environmental influences on peer-group sexual attitudes. Using a Finnish population-based sample of twins and their siblings (n = 9534), it was found that genetic effects influenced peer-group sexual attitudes in men (52%) and women (46%), thus offering evidence for gene–environment correlation. Men showed less restricted peer-group sexual attitudes than women. Some indications of different genes influencing environmental exposure in men and women were found.