NCJ Number
84911
Date Published
1982
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Data from 107 sexual targets, 45 aggressors, and staff in 3 New York State prisons for male offenders provide the basis for a discussion regarding the influence of sexual harassment on stress and coping and the ways inmates handle this problem.
Abstract
A review of literature on prison sexual aggression notes that most targets are white and most aggressors are black. Prison environment and inmates' background characteristics both play a part in encouraging sexual aggression. Studies on stresses produced by victimization have discovered that some feelings invoked by fear lead to self-segregation or self-injury, while other emotions such as anger and hostility can result in violence. This research project interviewed men in two adult prisons, Attica and Auburn, and one youth facility, Coxsackie. A random survey of the Attica and Coxsackie populations showed that 25 percent of the men had been targets of approaches they perceived as sexually aggressive. The most likely targets were young whites from small cities or towns and rural areas who appeared weak and feminine in the context of prison society. Aggressors often neutralized any possible guilt by viewing their victims as men who have had previous homosexual encounters. Fear, anxiety, and anger were the most common emotional reactions to prison sexual harassment. Depending on ethnicity, subculture, confinement, and individual personality, men in the survey coped with harassment in the following ways: becoming violent; joining a clique; staying in one's cell; and changing jobs, cell blocks, or prisons. These coping methods often contribute to prison violence and racial tension. While prison staff can reduce the incidence of sexual harassment, the ultimate solution lies in altering the values of men who look upon others as objects of sexual aggression. The paper includes 39 references. For related material, see NCJ 84908.