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Self-Defense or Assertiveness Training and Women’s Responses to Sexual Attacks

University of Illinois at Springfield, LBREC1{at}uis.edu

Sarah E. Ullman

University of Illinois at Chicago

Self-defense classes aim to prevent violence against women by strengthening women’s capacity to defend themselves; however, little research has examined the effects of self-defense training on women’s attempts to fight back during actual attacks. This study investigated the relationship of self-defense or assertiveness training and women’s physical and psychological responses to subsequent rape attacks (N = 1,623).Multivariate analyses showed that victims with preassault training were more likely to say that their resistance stopped the offender or made him less aggressive than victims without training. Women with training before their assaults were angrier and less scared during the incident than women without training, consistent with the teachings of self-defense training. Preassault training participants rated their degree of nonconsent or resistance as lower than did nonparticipants, perhaps because they held themselves to a higher standard. Suggestions for future research on women’s self-defense training and rape prevention are offered.

Key Words: self-defense • assertiveness training • rape avoidance • college women

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