1. www.childtrends.org www.childtrendsdatabank.org A Demographic Portrait of Statutory Rape Kristin Moore, Ph.D. & Jennifer Manlove, Ph.D March 23-24, 2005

2. Research Questions 1.What is the prevalence of statutory rape? 2.Has the prevalence of statutory rape been increasing over time? 3.What individual and family factors are associated with statutory rape? 4.How do characteristics of statutory rape relationships and partners differ from other sexual relationships? 5.Is statutory rape linked to other adolescent behaviors?

3. Definition of Statutory Rape Teens aged 15 or younger with a sexual partner 3 or more years older

4. Data National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), 1995 and 2002 oRetrospective information on sexual experiences before age 18 oInformation on teens’ first sexual experiences National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), 1995-1996 oTeens in grades 7-12 oInformation on all sexual relationships

5. Question #1: What is the prevalence of statutory rape?

6. Statutory Rape at First Sex Occurs Among Both Females and Males Females Males Source: NSFG 2002 Not Sexually Experienced Not Sexually Experienced Statutory Rape Statutory Rape Sexually Experienced Sexually Experienced

7. Statutory Rape Status at First Sex Among Sexually Experienced Females and Males Statutory Rape Statutory Rape Other Sexually Experienced Other Sexually Experienced FemalesMales Source: NSFG 2002

8. Question #2: Has the prevalence of statutory rape been increasing over time?

9. Incidence of Statutory Rape at First Sex Has Not Changed Significantly Among Females Source: NSFG 2002

10. Incidence of Statutory Rape at First Sex Has Remained Stable Among Sexually Experienced Females Source: NSFG 2002

11. Question #3: What individual and family factors are associated with statutory rape?

12. Younger Sexually Experienced Teens Are More Likely to Experience Statutory Rape Source: NSFG 2002 < 1314 15 FemalesMales

13. Females Who Are Younger at First Sex Are More Likely to Say that Sexual Experience Was Non-Voluntary Source: NSFG 2002

14. Average Age Difference Between Teens and Partners Source: NSFG 2002

15. Distribution of Partner-Teen Age Difference in Statutory Rape Relationships, by Gender 3 years 4 years 5 years 6 6 7 7 8+ Females Males Source: NSFG 2002

16. The Incidence of Statutory Rape is Higher Among Teens: who do not live with both biological parents whose parents have lower educational attainment, and whose mothers gave birth in their teen years

17. Statutory Rape Increases with the Number of Family Risks* Source: NSFG 2002 *Family risk factors include low parent education, family structure other than two biological parents, and son/daughter of a teen mother. 0 1 2 3 FemalesMales

18. Racial/Ethnic Minorities Are More Likely to Experience Statutory Rape Source: NSFG 2002 White Black Hispanic FemalesMales

19. Question #4: How do characteristics of statutory rape relationships and partners differ from other sexual relationships?

20. Teens in Statutory Rape Relationships Are More Likely to Meet Partner Outside of Social Networks Source: Add Health

21. Statutory Rape Partners of Teen Females Are More Likely to be Behind Grade than Other Sexual Partners Source: Add Health

22. Relationship Type with First Sexual Partner- Females Going Steady Engaged/ Cohabiting Just Met/ Just Friends Other Going Steady Engaged/ Cohabiting Other Just Met/ Just Friends Statutory RapeOther Sexually Experienced Source: NSFG 2002

23. Relationship Type with First Sexual Partner- Males Going Steady Just Met/ Just Friends Other Just Met/ Just Friends Going Steady Other Statutory RapeOther Sexually Experienced Engaged/ Cohabiting Source: NSFG 2002

24. Statutory Rape Relationships Differ by Gender Engaged/ Cohabiting Other Just Met/ Just Friends Going Steady Source: NSFG 2002 Females

25. Statutory Rape Relationships Differ by Gender Engaged/ Cohabiting Other Just Met/ Just Friends Going Steady Source: NSFG 2002 Females Just Met/ Just Friends Going Steady Other Males

26. The Majority of Teens in Statutory Rape and Other Sexual Relationships Report that Most or All of Their Friends Know Their Partner Source: Add Health

27. Question #5: Is statutory rape linked to other adolescent behaviors?

28. High School Females with Statutory Rape Experiences Report Higher Alcohol and Drug Use Source: Add Health

29. Females and Males in Statutory Rape First Relationships are More Likely to Drop Out of High School* Source: NSFG 2002 *Measured as males and females aged 20-24 who completed less than 12 years of high school and did not complete a GED.

30. Females and Males in Statutory Rape Relationships Are Less Likely to Use Contraception at First Sex Source: NSFG 2002

31. High School Teens in Statutory Rape Relationships Report More Lifetime Sexual Partners Source: Add Health

32. Females in Statutory Rape First Relationships Are More Likely to Have a Teen Birth Source: NSFG 2002

33. Females in Statutory Rape First Relationships Are More Likely to Have Any or 2+ Nonmarital Births Source: NSFG 2002

34. Females and Males in Statutory Rape First Relationships Are More Likely to Have Ever Been Tested for HIV Source: NSFG 2002

35. Females in Statutory Rape First Relationships are More Likely to Cohabit or Marry at an Early Age Source: NSFG 2002 Married Cohabit Separated Divorced Never Married Statutory Rape Married Never Married Separated Divorced Cohabit Other Sexually Experienced

36. Males in Statutory Rape First Relationships are More Likely to Cohabit at an Early Age Source: NSFG 2002 Married Cohabit Divorced Separated Never Married Statutory Rape Never Married Cohabit Other Sexually Experienced Separated

37. Conclusions Q1. What is the prevalence of statutory rape? Statutory rape remains a critical issue, affecting 13% of females and 5% of males at first sex. Q2. Has the prevalence of statutory rape been increasing over time? There was no significant change in the overall incidence of statutory rape among females at first sex between 1995 and 2002.

38. Conclusions Q3. What individual and family factors are associated with statutory rape? The youngest sexually experienced teens are most likely to experience statutory rape at first sex. Family risks are associated with statutory rape.

39. Conclusions Q4. How do characteristics of statutory rape relationships and partners differ from other sexual relationships? Teens are more likely to meet statutory rape partners outside of their usual social networks. Statutory rape partners are more likely to be behind in school. Statutory rape partners are more likely to be casual partners.

40. Conclusions Q5. Is statutory rape linked to other adolescent behaviors? Although causality is not determined, statutory rape is linked to: negative health outcomes lower educational attainment risky sexual behaviors and teen childbearing earlier union formation

41. www.childtrends.org www.childtrendsdatabank.org