A Content Analysis of Sexual Consent and Refusal Communication in Mainstream Films

Young adults have limited access to comprehensive sex education. As such, they may seek sexuality information through such alternative sources, such as mass media. Previous research suggests that media, including films and television shows, can influence sexual behaviors and attitudes. Because sexual consent communication is important to sexual experiences, the purpose of this study was to assess how sexual consent and refusal communication were depicted in films. We also examined contextual factors that influence consent and refusal communication, such as gender, relationship status, location, and types of sexual behaviors. Four researchers analyzed popular mainstream films (N = 50) from 2013 based on a codebook developed inductively and deductively. The most common consent and refusal communication cues were nonverbal or implicit. The majority of scenes portrayed consent immediately before sexual activity. We also conducted chi-squared analyses to assess differences in consent and refusal communication based on gender and relationship status. There were no gender differences in the portrayal of consent cues; however, characters in established relationships used nonverbal cues more often than those in novel relationships. Mass media can normalize behaviors, and our results suggest that films may further normalize nonverbal or implicit consent cues.     

Queer youth,intoxication and queer drinking spaces

Research on intoxicating substances and gender has developed considerably in the last 30 years, especially in the social sciences as feminist scholars highlighted the contradictory discourses about young women’s intoxication. Nevertheless, there still remain significant gaps if we are to fully understand the role and meaning of intoxication for all young people and not merely for heterosexual, cisgender young people. As a way of exploring the possible limitations of this legacy, we will examine the qualitative data from 52 in-depth interviews with self-identified LGBTQ young people. Our analysis explores the relationships between meanings of intoxication and sexual and gender identities, drinking spaces, and the extent to which notions of masculinity and femininity influence alcohol consumption and drinking practices among LGBTQ youth. As gender expressions among young people, especially those who identify as LGBTQ, become increasingly nuanced and fluid, understanding the role of social and cultural practices of alcohol consumption in the performance of sexual and gender identities may increase our understanding of the ways in which sexuality and gender influence alcohol consumption.     

Exploring African American Masculinities: An Integrative Model

To date, African American masculinity has been explored from several perspectives and across many disciplines. Much of the work on Black masculinity derives from scholarly fields and paradigmatic approaches that are seldom in conversation with one another. This review explores the applications and critiques of deficit, Afrocentric, gender/sex role, and identity paradigms commonly applied to discourses on African American manhood across various disciplines. Additionally, this paper concludes with a call for paradigmatic triangulation in Black gender scholarship towards creating a comprehensive notion of African American masculinity.     

Characteristics of urban male homeless veterans and non-veterans in Omaha,Nebraska

The current study examined differences between urban homeless veterans and non-veterans on sociodemographics, housing, clinical characteristics, and psychosocial factors. We recruited a sample of 196 homeless men (101 veterans, 95 non-veterans) from the Omaha, Nebraska metropolitan area. Structured interviews were conducted by research staff. The results showed that the two groups were similar in most respects, though there were several notable differences. Homeless veterans were found to be older and more educated than non-veterans, more likely to have married, and reported having fewer non-adult children. Multivariable models controlling for age further showed that veterans reported a higher number of medical problems and were more likely to report being diagnosed with major depression or PTSD than non-veterans. Comparison with previous studies suggests changes in certain characteristics of homeless veterans over the past few decades that may reflect the growing proportion of veterans from the all-volunteer force, initiated after the draft ended in 1975. Findings from this study were consistent with previous comparative studies suggesting limited changes in recent decades in the characteristics of homeless veterans as compared to non-veterans, although the high prevalence of major depression and PTSD merit special treatment for these disorders.     

Social change,premarital nonfamily experiences,and marital dynamics

We investigate the effects of nonfamily experiences on marital relationships in a setting characterized by high levels of arranged marriage until recently. Drawing on theoretical frameworks for the study of families and social change, we argue that the expansion of opportunities for nonfamily experiences will increase the likelihood of marital relationships based on an emotional bond between husbands and wives. Using data from 3,724 individuals in rural Nepal, we find consistent effects of educational experiences across multiple dimensions of marriage. These effects point toward the spread of education as a stimulus to marriages characterized by higher levels of love and discussions between spouses, and lower levels of conflict and spouse abuse. Results suggest that studies of marital dynamics in non‐Western settings provide a fruitful avenue for new research on marriage.     

In favour of online counselling?

Abstract

A ‘surf on the net’ reveals that internationally, many organisations are providing a range of counselling services online including counselling via email, interactive ‘chat rooms’ and teleconferencing. Online counselling appears to be offered primarily as a ‘fee for service’ and many online practitioners work in the area of mental health. In Australia, KIDS Help Line offers ‘free’ counselling for young people using both email and chat rooms. Meanwhile, other organisations/professional groups are struggling to come to terms with this new form of service delivery. This paper begins with a brief explanation of where Relationships Australia (Queensland) is placed in terms of online counselling followed by some of the advantages and disadvantages of online counselling based on a literature search. Concluding statements lean towards favouring online counselling as it offers a new form of intervention that may suit many clients and organisations. The term ‘online’ counselling refers herein to e.counselling or email counselling