The relationship between men’s sexual thoughts of coercing others and their sexual victimisation and perpetration experiences

Introduction: Evidence suggests that sexual thoughts are associated with sexual experiences. Literature maintains that relationships exist but the nature and mechanisms remain unknown. This study investigated the prevalence of and explored relationships between coercive sexual thoughts and victimisation and/or perpetration experiences. As far as the author is aware, no study has investigated this with such detail of the content, enactment, experience, and function of coercive sexual thoughts and sexual experiences. Method: This study conducted secondary analysis of existing data from the Sexual Thoughts Project using a mixed methods design with a community sample of 779 and subsample of 169 men’s self-report data. A mapping framework was developed to match the sexual thought and sexual experience variables. Qualitative data within these variables was coded using content analysis and then analysed quantitatively. Quantitative data was analysed using inferential statistics to determine associations between the paired thought and experience variables. Results: The results provided evidence that there was a relationship between coercive sexual thoughts and sexual experiences. An association was found between victimisation experiences and perpetration experiences with the content of sexual thoughts of coercing others, specifically for type of sexual contact and means of compliance, and for perpetration experiences only, relationship and gender of the other person. Additional exploratory analyses found a relationship between sexual thoughts of coercing others and pornography, childhood physical abuse, and likelihood of engaging in forced sex. Discussion: There are a multitude of factors that could explain these relationships, including power, control, and appraisal of the sexual thought and experience. These findings have implications for clinical interventions, as well as the potential for wider societal impacts on public health. Further research is needed to establish a full understanding of the sequence of these relationships and for the enactment, experience and function of coercive sexual thoughts and sexual experiences.