Why men don’t say no: sexual compliance and gender socialization in heterosexual men

TLDR

The study examined the prevalence and predictors of heterosexual men’s compliance with unwanted but consensual sexual activity, focusing on whether traditional gender‑role endorsement, male sexuality stereotypes, and age predict such compliance. A survey of 426 heterosexual men collected demographic data, measures of gender‑role beliefs and male sexuality stereotypes, and a modified instrument assessing motives for consenting to unwanted kissing, touching, oral sex, and penetrative sex. Mild sexual compliance—consenting to unwanted kissing—occurred in 61.3% of participants, and compliance was predicted by endorsement of traditional gender‑role beliefs and male sexuality stereotypes, with additional motives including altruism, intoxication, sexual inexperience, peer pressure, popularity, and sex‑role concerns.

Abstract

Given that the prevailing literature largely neglects the unwanted sexual activity experiences of men, this study examined both prevalence and predictors of men's compliance with unwanted, but consensual, sexual activity. Specifically, we examined whether traditional gender-role endorsement, belief in male sexuality stereotypes, and age predict sexual compliance among heterosexual men. Participants (N = 426 men) completed a brief demographic questionnaire, measures of gender-role beliefs and male sexuality stereotypes, as well as a modified measure investigating motives for consenting to unwanted kissing, sexual touching, oral sex, and/or penetrative sex. The reported incidence rate of mild sexual compliance (i.e. consenting to unwanted kissing at least once) in heterosexual men was 61.3% over the past 12 months. Results suggest that sexual compliance in heterosexual men may be predicted by their endorsement of traditional gender-role beliefs and male sexuality stereotypes. Moreover, men may be motivated to be sexually compliant due to motives of altruism, intoxication, sexual inexperience, peer pressure, popularity, and sex-role concerns.