The Relationship Between US Military Officer Leadership Behaviors and Risk of Sexual Assault of Reserve, National Guard, and Active Component Servicewomen in Nondeployed Locations

Anne G Sadler; Michelle A Mengeling; Brenda M Booth; Amy M J O'Shea; James C Torner

doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303520

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The Relationship Between US Military Officer Leadership Behaviors and Risk of Sexual Assault of Reserve, National Guard, and Active Component Servicewomen in Nondeployed Locations

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The Relationship Between US Military Officer Leadership Behaviors and Risk of Sexual Assault of Reserve, National Guard, and Active Component Servicewomen in Nondeployed Locations

Anne G Sadler, Michelle A Mengeling, Brenda M Booth, Amy M J O'Shea and James C Torner

American journal of public health (1971), Vol.107(1), pp.147-155

01/2017

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303520

PMCID: PMC5308164

PMID: 27854521

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Abstract

To determine if military leader behaviors are associated with active component and Reserve-National Guard servicewomen's risk of sexual assault in the military (SAIM) for nondeployed locations. A community sample of 1337 Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom-era Army and Air Force servicewomen completed telephone interviews (March 2010-December 2011) querying sociodemographic and military characteristics, sexual assault histories, and leader behaviors. We created 2 factor scores (commissioned and noncommissioned) to summarize behaviors by officer rank. A total of 177 servicewomen (13%) experienced SAIM in nondeployed locations. Negative leader behaviors were associated with increased assault risk, at least doubling servicewomen's odds of SAIM (e.g., noncommissioned officers allowed others in unit to make sexually demeaning comments; odds ratio = 2.7; 95% confidence interval = 1.8, 4.1). Leader behavior frequencies were similar, regardless of service type. Negative leadership behavior risk factors remained significantly associated with SAIM risk even after adjustment for competing risk. Noncommissioned and commissioned officer factor scores were highly correlated (r = 0.849). The association between leader behaviors and SAIM indicates that US military leaders have a critical role in influencing servicewomen's risk of and safety from SAIM.

Leadership

United States - epidemiology

Women's Health

Iraq War, 2003-2011

Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data

Crime Victims - psychology

Humans

Risk Factors

Military Personnel - psychology

Afghan Campaign 2001

Military Personnel - statistics & numerical data

Adult

Female

Interviews as Topic

Sex Offenses - psychology

Sex Offenses - statistics & numerical data

Details

Title: Subtitle: The Relationship Between US Military Officer Leadership Behaviors and Risk of Sexual Assault of Reserve, National Guard, and Active Component Servicewomen in Nondeployed Locations
Creators: Anne G Sadler - University of Iowa, Psychiatry
Michelle A Mengeling - University of Iowa, Internal Medicine
Brenda M Booth - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Amy M J O'Shea - University of Iowa, Internal Medicine
James C Torner - University of Iowa, Epidemiology
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of public health (1971), Vol.107(1), pp.147-155
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303520
PMID: 27854521
PMCID: PMC5308164
NLM abbreviation: Am J Public Health
ISSN: 0090-0036
eISSN: 1541-0048
Publisher: United States
Grant note: T42 OH008491 / NIOSH CDC HHS
Language: English
Date published: 01/2017
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Epidemiology; Surgery; Injury Prevention Research Center; Neurosurgery; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9983996058002771

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