The relationship of feminist ideology and date expense sharing to perceptions of sexual aggression in dating

Abstract

This study compares the incidence of sexual aggression reported by college women today with comparable reports from the past. Additionally, the relationship of adherence to feminist ideology and the sharing of dating expenses to reports of offensive male sexual aggression on dates is examined. The sample consisted of 400 unmarried, undergraduate women attending a large, southeastern university during the spring of 1979. Findings indicate that the pervasiveness of experience with offensive sexual aggression has not changed perceptibly during a 20‐year span, although it appears that the aggressive advances are becoming more coitally‐directed. Contrary to the hypotheses, adherence to feminist ideology and the sharing of dating expenses are shown not to be associated with fewer reports of offense on dates. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.