Keywords

bisexual women, sexual violence, substance use, objectification

Abstract

Bisexual women experience the highest rates of sexual violence victimization, across all tactics, compared to all other gender and sexual orientation groups. Bisexual women’s higher rates of substance use puts them at greater risk for substance-facilitated sexual violence, however this does not account for higher rates of sexual violence that happen through other tactics. Objectification theory states that people learn to view women as sexual objects, whose value derives from their bodies’ sexual utility and this view increases the likelihood of sexual violence. Bisexual women experience an additional form of objectification in the form of bisexual stigma which is characterized by stereotypes of bisexual women as sexually indiscriminate and promiscuous. The current study investigated the relationship between past year substance use and objectification with sexual violence victimization severity among bisexual women, as well as how intoxication and objectification directly prior to a sexual violence experience influence self-blame in this at-risk population. 615 bisexual women, ages of 18 to 25. completed a survey on their past year substance use, external and internalized objectification, sexual violence victimization history and were asked to reflect on a specific instance of sexual victimization and respond to questions about their substance use and objectification at the time of the assault and their self-blame following the assault. Findings showed that substance use and external objectification were associated with sexual violence victimization severity. Findings also showed that substance use and objectification, both general and bisexual-specific, at the time of the assault were associated with higher self-blame and that substance use moderated the relationship between bisexual-specific objectification and self-blame. Clinical implications for treating bisexual women who have experienced sexual violence were discussed and recommendations for future research directions that focus on the cognitive mechanisms by which potential perpetrators perceive bisexual women as sexually available or interested were made.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Woerner, Jacqueline

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029838

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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