THE PATTERNING OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN US CITIES AND COUNTIES

Abstract

Sexual violence against women is a global public health concern; yet determining its patterning is still largely understudied. Previous research has been useful in identifying key contributors of sexual violence, including the adult sex ratio, which is the ratio of adult men to adult women in a population, as well as elements of gender inequality. However, a more comprehensive and place-based understanding of sexual violence is still needed. Data from the U.S. Census and the National Incident Based Reporting System were used to explore the patterning of sexual violence against women in cities and counties in the United States. Through the use of generalized linear mixed models, the data were analyzed to assess the individual and joint impact that sex ratio and gender inequality have on sexual violence. The results indicated a positive association between both imbalanced sex ratios and gender inequality on sexual violence. Furthermore, models considering the two variables jointly were found to best fit the data, highlighting the benefits of including both for a more comprehensive understanding of sexual violence against women. The hope is that this research can assist in efforts to both better quantify and diminish rates of sexual violence against women.