Revising the SES: A Collaborative Process to Improve Assessment of Sexual Aggression and Victimization

TLDR

The Sexual Experiences Survey (SES) assesses victimization and perpetration of unwanted sexual experiences. The article reviews identified weaknesses and preserved strengths of the SES, outlines methodological considerations that guided its revisions, and proposes a coordinated research agenda to further improve assessment of sexual victimization and perpetration. The revisions added behavioral specificity, gender neutrality, full crossing of acts and tactics, and updated wording for consent, alcohol, and coercive tactics, with the revised victimization version and scoring rules provided for illustration. Revised SES versions are now available, and the article concludes with suggestions for future research.

Abstract

The Sexual Experiences Survey (SES) assesses victimization and perpetration of unwanted sexual experiences (e.g., Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987 ). Revised versions of the SES that resulted from the work of the SES Collaboration are now available. This article reviews weaknesses of the SES that were identified, strengths that were preserved, and methodological considerations in the measurement of unwanted sexual experiences that informed the revisions. The primary changes include: more behavioral specificity; conversion to gender neutrality; full crossing of unwanted acts and coercive tactics; and revised and updated wording for assessing consent, alcohol-related incidents, unwanted acts, and coercive tactics. For illustration, the full text of the revised victimization version and its scoring rules are provided. The article concludes with suggestions for future research. These suggestions aim to involve researchers in a coordinated agenda to develop data that clarify methodological questions and contribute to continued improvement in assessing sexual victimization and perpetration.