Part II: When Understanding Isn't the Issue: What This Study Means for Prevention

From the DARCC Education Department

In Part One, we explored findings from the 2026 study Isolate, Inebriate, Intimidate, Repeat: High Rates of Sexual Force Against Women Are Reported When Young Men Given Anonymous Surveys by L. F. O'Sullivan and S. T. Ronis. The study challenged a common assumption about sexual violence. Many prevention efforts focus on communication, consent education, and helping people better recognize boundaries. Those efforts are important and necessary. However, the findings raise an important question. If some individuals recognize resistance and continue anyway, what does that mean for prevention? 

One of the findings that stood out to me most was how participants described their motivations. While some reported acting because they were aroused or because the opportunity presented itself, others reported being determined to get what they wanted, believing women were misleading men about their interest in sex, or enjoying "this type of challenge." The language of challenge is particularly concerning because it frames another person's boundaries as an obstacle to overcome rather than a choice to respect. 

If we are honest, our culture has not always done a great job challenging these beliefs. We have long celebrated persistence in romantic pursuits. Movies, television shows, and social media often portray relentless pursuit as romantic rather than concerning. We tell people not to give up. We celebrate the person who keeps trying. While persistence can be appropriate in many areas of life, persistence in the face of a clearly communicated boundary is not romance. It is the refusal to respect another person's autonomy. 

Another finding that deserves attention is the role of peers. Nearly half of participants reported involving friends, partners, or groups of friends in helping them get what they wanted sexually. Others reported having female friends help make women feel safe or help convince them. These findings remind us that sexual violence does not always occur in isolation. Social environments matter. Friend groups matter. The people who encourage behavior, normalize behavior, excuse behavior, or fail to intervene matter. 

This is one reason bystander intervention remains such an important prevention strategy. When harmful behavior occurs in social settings, peers often have opportunities to interrupt, challenge, redirect, or support someone who may be vulnerable. Prevention is not just about changing individual behavior. It is also about creating communities where harmful behavior is less likely to be accepted or ignored. 

The finding that stayed with me most was what happened afterward. When asked whether anything bad came from the interaction, most participants reported no negative outcomes. Very few expressed concern about the impact on the woman involved. Very few reported meaningful consequences for themselves. 

That finding points to something prevention work often grapples with. Behavior is shaped not only by personal beliefs but also by social consequences. When harmful actions are minimized, excused, laughed off, or ignored, they become easier to repeat. When communities respond with accountability, expectations begin to shift. 

This does not mean consent education is ineffective. Consent education remains a critical part of prevention. People need to understand boundaries, healthy relationships, communication, and respect. But the findings from this study suggest that prevention cannot end there. 

Effective prevention must also address the attitudes, social norms, and systems that allow harmful behavior to persist. It means challenging beliefs rooted in entitlement. It means helping people recognize when peer dynamics are contributing to harm. It means building communities where respect for another person's autonomy is expected, modeled, and reinforced. 

No single study can explain every instance of sexual violence. However, O'Sullivan and Ronis's research invites us to think more deeply about the factors that contribute to harm and the strategies required to prevent it. If prevention is our goal, we must look beyond whether people understand consent and ask what motivates someone to ignore it, what messages reinforce that behavior, and what communities can do to challenge it. Prevention is not only about teaching people where the boundary is. It is also about creating a culture where respecting that boundary is nonnegotiable. 

Source:

O’Sullivan, L. F., & Ronis, S. T. (2026). Isolate, inebriate, intimidate, repeat: High rates of sexual force against women are reported when young men given anonymous surveys. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605261432630