{"id":61511,"date":"2026-03-30T00:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T06:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/?p=61511"},"modified":"2026-03-30T00:54:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T06:54:13","slug":"what-life-patterns-protect-against-sexual-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/sexuality-family\/sexual-abuse\/what-life-patterns-protect-against-sexual-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"What Life Patterns Protect Against Sexual Violence?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the risk of sexual violence accumulates across economic strain, relational conflict, addiction, trauma, isolation, and distorted beliefs, then it makes sense that prevention<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">would need to be equally layered. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of one-dimensional awareness campaigns or interventions, more effective efforts seek to<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> strengthen individuals, marriages, families, and communities at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the first article mapped the terrain of vulnerability, the second <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this part <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">turns to the work of building protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What would it look like to respond proportionately to what the evidence actually shows? If certain patterns repeatedly increase vulnerability, then their opposites <\/span><b>ought to<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">must<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> become deliberate priorities. In this section, I outline practical steps\u2014grounded in the research reviewed <\/span><b>previously<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">above<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014that families, faith communities, and civic institutions can take to reduce risk and expand real protection for women and children.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The protection of healthy, genuine faith<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/sexuality-family\/sexual-abuse\/getting-at-the-roots-of-sexual-violence-against-women\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">part one<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, I outlined ways that limited religious community and faith commitment can increase the risk of sexual violence against women. The opposite is also true, with religious affiliation, identification and participation often protective against sexual violence according to studies in various countries. For instance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A family\u2019s \u201caffiliation with Christian religious denominations\u201d is \u201cassociated with lower risk of physical and sexual violence\u201d in India (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22935947\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kimuna, et al., 2013<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being a Muslim was \u201cprotective from any type\u201d of intimate partner violence\u201d including \u201csexual and emotional\u201d in the Ivory Coast (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24451017\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peltzer &amp; Pengpid, 2014<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The latter finding is mirrored in an earlier study finding Muslim religion protective against intimate partner violence in six African countries (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1177\/0886260510390951\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alio, et al., 2010<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond affiliation alone, regular church attendance was specifically protective against victimization as well (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/11236411\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lown &amp; Vega, 2001<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">;\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37199485\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O\u2019Connor, et al., 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Respondents with higher levels of religious involvement in different studies were less likely to report intimate partner victimization (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/341595344_The_Influence_of_Religious_Involvement_on_Intimate_Partner_Violence_Victimization_via_Routine_Activities_Theory\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zavala &amp; Muniz, 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) -with the latter U.S. research team noting this finding was \u201cconsistent with prior studies looking at the relationship between religious beliefs and intimate partner violence.\u201d For instance:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFrequent church attendance\u201d is among the factors \u201cassociated with decreased risk of violence\u201d in Filipino homes according to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19306795\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fehringer &amp; Hindin, 2009<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014who report \u201cless male perpetration if mothers attended church more often\u201d\u2014in line <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with other findings, as they say \u201cother research supports a protective effect of church attendance on partner violence.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same research team observed in a second article that \u201cregular church attendance by the wife\u201d and \u201cregular church attendance by the husband\u201d were both associated with lower risk of perpetrating violence in a marriage (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18768743\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ansara &amp; Hindin, 2009<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1987-19010-001\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fergusson, et al., 1986<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> highlighted \u201cchurch attendance\u201d as a significant factor in the frequency of \u201cwife assault\u201d in New Zealand\u2014with the religious attendance of both fathers and mothers making the perpetration of victimization within their relationship less likely. They specifically found that men and women least likely to commit domestic violence were those who participate in services once a month or more are least -followed by those who attend less than monthly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an analysis of U.S. couples two decades ago, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1998-03205-005\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ellison, et al., 1999<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> likewise reported that \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">regular attendance at religious services\u201d made domestic violence perpetration less likely. \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both men and women who attend religious services regularly are less likely to commit acts of domestic violence than persons who attend rarely or not at all,\u201d they observed\u2014noting that for men, it was only when they participated weekly that this effect showed up, while women also had a protective effect with monthly attendance.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, \u201creligiosity does decrease (intimate partner) victimization\u201d report <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1077801207308259\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ellison, et al., 2007<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> based on a U.S. survey\u2014adding that \u201creligious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence\u201d\u2014a \u201cprotective effect,\u201d which they note, is \u201cstronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As reflected above, studies show repeatedly that faith participation can prevent both perpetration and victimization. This seems, in part, due to pro-social teachings, avoidance of risky behavior and a sense of higher purpose and meaning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Victims often described in studies how leaders and fellow congregants helped them get away from earlier abuse and begin to find healing. This is not always true, of course\u2014with certain attitudes held by people of faith sometimes functioning as a barrier to healing and safety. Indeed, another set of studies point towards less healthy religious attitudes that leave women at greater risk for different kinds of abuse.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Conflicting evidence<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even so, the influence of religion is not as simple as described above\u2014with more nuance to consider. Psychological, physical and sexual violence had a \u201csignificant association\u201d with evangelical faith in a Brazilian study\u2014with the authors reporting a \u201c33% increase in intimate partner sexual abuse in life in evangelical women, compared to those who do not belong to this group\u201d (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scielo.br\/j\/csc\/a\/R64vx7t9ykzCH54DTfSFvjv\/?lang=en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Santos, et al., 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A set of other studies in Africa have also found families who were Muslim at greater risk of victimization (in Ethiopia <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12978-015-0072-1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agumasie &amp; Bezatu, 2015<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; in Kenya <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34493507\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ward &amp; Harlow, et al., 2021<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; in Nigeria\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35725404\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bolarinwa, et al., 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; in Malawi <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34702391\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forty, 2022<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How exactly to interpret these and other seemingly contradictory findings is a critical point, something I <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.publishpeace.net\/p\/what-500-studies-tell-us-about-ending\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">explore in-depth in my full report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In simple form, not all religiosity is the same, with religious faith that allows men to dominate women, or which does not place serious emphasis on avoiding alcohol or casual sex, putting women (and children) at risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMisinterpretation of religious beliefs\u201d was cited in a Pakistani <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18561735\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">analysis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of influences on sexual and other kinds of violence at home, with the authors advocating for \u201cpublic policy informed by correct interpretation of religion\u201d which they said could prompt \u201ca change in prevailing societal norms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class=\"perfect-pullquote vcard pullquote-align-right pullquote-border-placement-left\"><blockquote><p>Religious institutions may reduce the risk of violence in a relationship.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><br \/>\nAfter analyzing data from the Philippines, another research team <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18768743\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">notes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that religious institutions may reduce the risk of violence in a relationship \u201cby promoting messages encouraging a commitment to family life, providing counseling in conflict resolution or alcohol-related problems, providing information about resources in the community \u2026. and providing an opportunity for strengthening social networks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">there\u2019s also evidence that sincere, \u201cintrinsic\u201d religious practice and conviction among men and women functions as a more powerful protector against sexual violence and other abuse, while more superficial, \u201cextrinsic\u201d religious conviction simply does not.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It seems clear that \u201cweak commitment to religion\u201d could be a factor in victimization within a relationship, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20229697\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vakili, et al., 2010<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> notes that a \u201cwoman and husband\u2019s weak level of religious commitment\u201d in Iran was \u201csignificantly associated with an increase in physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authors later said that \u201cstrong religious beliefs may be instrumental in reducing the likelihood of intimate partner violence among Iranian families\u201d (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20229697\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vakili, et al., 2010<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the other direction, deeper and more sincere religious conviction shows promising effects\u2014with \u201creligious intensity\u201d associated in another study with a \u201clower victimization count\u201d (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23148902\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sabina, et al., 2013<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Complex, overlapping patterns of vulnerability<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this broad array of variables involved in increasing (or decreasing) the risk for sexual violence can seem overwhelming, I believe it can be invaluable to know that, b<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">roadly speaking, women and men who have experienced significant past abuse, who are under heavy current stress and financial pressures and are experiencing compromised faculties, significant conflict and real isolation, are all at much higher risk of future victimization (and perpetration)\u2014especially if they have little awareness about the extent of the risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By contrast, women and men who have been protected from past abuse, who are not facing current heavy stress or compromised faculties, who don\u2019t have significant conflict or isolation, will all be significantly more protected against future victimization (and perpetration)\u2014especially if they have adequate awareness about the extent of the risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To the degree a woman or man falls on a higher or lower place on any of these spectrums (more past trauma, but lower stress levels today \u2026 less conflict, but also greater isolation), their level of risk (and protection) will likewise vary widely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, women who are less educated, divorced, addicted (or with partners addicted to alcohol or pornography) are more likely to experience sexual violence\u2014especially if they experience inadequate financial support, limited healthy community commitments, and a dearth of higher meaning and spiritual purpose in life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class=\"perfect-pullquote vcard pullquote-align-right pullquote-border-placement-left\"><blockquote><p>Perpetrators focus on places where any vulnerability exists<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><br \/>\nEven one risk factor can have rippling effects\u2014with the sheer, cumulative risk of risk factors also corresponding with greater risk. One researcher, for instance, observed \u201csix percent of young white women with no risk factors, nine percent of those with one, 26 percent of those with two, and 68 percent of those with three or more had been sexually abused before or during adolescence\u201d (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/2759216\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moore, et al., 1989<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certainly, none of the above factors operates in a vacuum independent of each other\u2014with interlinkages among all ten factors. For instance, people of faith are also more likely to avoid drug\/alcohol dependency, experience nurturing social support and be happily married (while also having more children).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But overall, the research makes it clear that perpetrators focus on places where any vulnerability exists. For instance, women of younger age and much older age are both more likely to be victimized, as are those with reduced cognitive or physical capacity due to disability or prior victimization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some factors are more changeable than others, obviously. But even those that appear unchangeable (past abuse) have interventions that can prompt healing. On a general level, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as reflected above, \u201ca person\u2019s routine and lifestyle in\ufb02uences the level of exposure one has to potential perpetrators and how vulnerable one is as a target,\u201d as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fmen0000222\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Walker, et al., 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> state. Consequently, \u201cthe identi\ufb01cation of variables that in\ufb02uence likelihood of (sexual violence) is fundamental for prevention efforts\u201d (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/369768278_Male_Victims_of_Sexual_Assault_A_Review_of_the_Literature\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thomas &amp; Kopel, 2023<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Alignment with other studies<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of these themes have been identified in other attempts to survey available risk factors, such as a CDC <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/violence-prevention\/media\/pdf\/resources-for-action\/SV-Prevention-Resource_508.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">analysis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from 2016, which touched on most of the above patterns, but overlooked the potentially protective role of faith and religiosity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This national and international data also align with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usu.edu\/uwlp\/files\/snapshot\/42.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">demographic data<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> collected locally in Utah, showing higher vulnerability to sexual violence among women who are homeless, with lower socioeconomic status, using drugs or alcohol, in minority groups, younger, or experiencing some kind of physical or mental impairments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One especially impressive University of Washington literature <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dcjs.virginia.gov\/sites\/dcjs.virginia.gov\/files\/publications\/victims\/140-164-sexualviolenceriskprotectivefactors.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">review from 2017<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> concluded that the available evidence \u201creinforces the long-standing notion that sexual aggression is a complex behavior that emerges based on the interplay of multiple risk factors over time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAdditionally,\u201d they note \u201cthere are likely very different pathways to the development of sexually aggressive behavior.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dcjs.virginia.gov\/sites\/dcjs.virginia.gov\/files\/publications\/victims\/140-164-sexualviolenceriskprotectivefactors.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Casey &amp; Masters, 2017<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> conclude, \u201cThis means that preventing sexual aggression before it begins necessitates prioritizing multiple risk factors, and bolstering multiple protective factors across individuals and communities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The only real purpose of such study, of course, is taking better steps to protect women from sexual violence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Better data, better prevention<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CDC <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careprogram.ucla.edu\/education\/readings\/CDC1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">advocated<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> nearly two decades ago for building a comprehensive ecological model that \u201coffers a framework for understanding the complex interplay of individual, relationship, social, political, cultural, and environmen\u00adtal factors that influence sexual violence\u201d \u2014all of which they note can inform specific intervention and prevention steps.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an early <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/careprogram.ucla.edu\/education\/readings\/CDC1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2004 exploration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of what sexual violence prevention programs should look like, the CDC called for prevention efforts that \u201cwork to modify and\/or entirely eliminate the events, conditions, situations, or exposure to influences (risk factors) that result in the initiation of sexual violence\u201d and thereby proactively take steps to \u201cprevent sexual violence from initially occurring.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet a decade later in 2014, CDC researchers <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1359178914000536\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">admitted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (as I cited earlier) \u201crates of sexual violence remain alarmingly high, and we still know very little about how to prevent it,\u201d going on to describe how most prevention efforts were largely \u201cone dimensional\u201d attempts to change individual attitudes, and little more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kathleen C. Basile, Associate Director for Science in the Division of Violence Prevention, in the Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, told me in an interview with Deseret News, \u201cI would also add that sexual violence, intimate partner violence, all types of violence are preventable, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the way we prevent them,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like you alluded to earlier, is to understand the size of the problem and who is impacted, and so the characteristics, like who the perpetrators are, who, what age, it happens, things like that\u201d (italics my own).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a 2014 review of strategies to prevent sexual violence perpetration, CDC researchers <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1359178914000536\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stated<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that \u201cthe vast majority of preventative interventions evaluated to date have failed to demonstrate sufficient evidence of impact on sexual violence perpetration behaviors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They went on to call for \u201can evidence-based, comprehensive, multi-level strategy to combat sexual violence,\u201d suggesting that \u201caddressing a broader range of risk and protective factors for sexual violence may be more likely to be effective.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two years later in 2016, the CDC released a prevention resource prevent sexual violence called \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/violence-prevention\/media\/pdf\/resources-for-action\/SV-Prevention-Resource_508.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">STOP SV<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d\u2014<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/violence-prevention\/media\/pdf\/resources-for-action\/SV-Prevention-Resource_508.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">noting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that although the evidence for sexual violence prevention is \u201cless developed\u201d than other areas of prevention, \u201ca comprehensive approach with preventive interventions at multiple levels of the social ecological model (i.e., individual, relationship, community, and societal) is critical to having a population level impact on SV.\u201d But they noted that evidence remained \u201climited and must continuously be built through rigorous evaluation.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As CDC researchers <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/violence-prevention\/media\/pdf\/resources-for-action\/SV-Prevention-Resource_508.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">summarized<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2016, \u201cRisk for sexual violence perpetration is influenced by a range of factors, including characteristics of the individual and their social and physical environments. These factors interact with one another to increase or decrease risk for SV over time and within specific contexts.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC researchers also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25403447\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wrote in 2016<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that \u201cprevention strategies that address risk and protective factors for sexual violence at the community level are important components of a comprehensive approach,\u201d before lamenting that \u201cfew such strategies have been identified or evaluated.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Ten life patterns that increase protection\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/indepth\/2025\/06\/22\/reducing-sexual-violence-against-women\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our review of these root contributors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> paints a picture of what deeper strategies of protection would look like. For instance, men who are less educated, financially struggling, addicted, isolated, emotionally unhealthy, promiscuous and spiritually disengaged, are also more likely to perpetrate sexually on vulnerable women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s also protective power in more fully appreciating that women and men who are better off economically, have good educational experiences, and are embedded within both healthy marriages and supportive communities are less vulnerable to sexual violence. This is doubly true if they also avoid substance abuse and habits of risky, casual sexual relations with multiple people, while nourishing a healthy spiritual foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are the ten steps that follow from this research broken down:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Helping lift families and communities out of poverty<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Expanding educational opportunities for both women and men<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Helping nurture marriages and families that are healthy and happy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Providing additional support for younger and larger families<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Helping to prevent compulsivity and support addicts in finding freedom<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Encouraging the value of sexually-exclusive marriages and healthy, non-aggressive masculinity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Fostering deeper healing for mental health challenges<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Helping those who have experienced earlier abuse to work through post-traumatic symptoms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Expanding robust community connections and durable social support<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Fostering healthy spirituality and religious connection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To see a broader summary of concrete steps, go <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/indepth\/2025\/06\/22\/reducing-sexual-violence-against-women\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here for the Deseret News article<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of these ten themes are reflected in a 2016 prevention resource released by the CDC called \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/violence-prevention\/media\/pdf\/resources-for-action\/SV-Prevention-Resource_508.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">STOP SV<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d This resource highlighted research-based recommendations that include efforts to \u201cprovide opportunities to empower and support girls and women, support victims\/survivors to lessen harms, create protective environments, teach skills to prevent sexual violence and promote social norms that protect against violence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As reflected above, some of the best ways to ensure women remain safe may be to proactively encourage life and community patterns proven to protect against both victimization and perpetration, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthy marriages that are cooperative and satisfying, surrounded by layers of trustworthy community support.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An atmosphere where education is prioritized and there are adequate resources to provide for the financial needs of the family, while helping both men and women avoid drugs and alcohol, delay sexual behavior until marriage, and learn how to control anger and impulses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A hopeful environment that nurtures healing from past trauma and current mental health challenges, while ideally also providing a grounding sense of higher purpose and spiritual meaning.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the evidence, women embedded in this kind of a context will be significantly less likely to be sexually victimized (or abused in other ways)\u2014compared with those living within chaotic settings with poor education, financial deficits, fraying marriages, spiritual detachment, few healing resources, rampant substance abuse, sexual promiscuity and out of control anger.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just as any vulnerability can be exploited by perpetrators, any time a vulnerability is shored up and turned into a strength, there is more protection against multiple kinds of abuse. Therefore, if we want to get at the roots of sexual victimization, more focus needs to go towards these kinds of protective life patterns, and additional ways to encourage and promote them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Special thanks to Laura Whitney, Odessa Taylor, Jacob Orse, and Brigham Powelson for helping to gather and sift through published studies, and to Diana Gourley for helping edit the review. In addition to recent support from Deseret News, the author expresses thanks to Public Square Magazine for initial funding for the project.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"bottom-notes\" style=\"font-style: italic;font-size:0.9em;\">If you or someone you love has experienced sexual assault of any kind and need additional support in the U.S., contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-HOPE)- with virtual and text-based options available. This is a confidential networking service in the U.S. helping connect victims with local agencies who can offer therapeutic support across the country. Similar kinds of hotlines exist in many countries around the world.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research points to ten life patterns that reduce vulnerability and help protect women from sexual violence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":61512,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[484],"tags":[50,314,131,242,968,20,182,270,118,1238,110,967,13,159],"coauthors":[222],"class_list":["post-61511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sexual-abuse","tag-addiction","tag-community","tag-counseling","tag-family","tag-healing","tag-marriage","tag-psychology","tag-public-health","tag-religiosity","tag-sexual-assault","tag-social-science","tag-trauma","tag-victims","tag-violence"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Sexual Violence Prevention Starts Upstream - Public Square Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sexual violence prevention is strongest where protective factors like marriage, education, faith, recovery, and accountability shape daily life.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/sexuality-family\/sexual-abuse\/what-life-patterns-protect-against-sexual-violence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sexual Violence Prevention Starts Upstream - Public Square Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sexual violence prevention is strongest where protective factors like marriage, education, faith, recovery, and accountability shape daily life.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/sexuality-family\/sexual-abuse\/what-life-patterns-protect-against-sexual-violence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Public Square Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-30T06:54:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/publicsquaremag.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WSA-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jacob Z. 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