Exploring Measurement Strategies for Identifying Multiple‐Perpetrator Sexual Violence: Higher Prevalence Rates Than Past Research.

Prior research suggests that multiple‐perpetrator sexual violence (e.g., gang rape) is very rare—reported by less than 2% of individuals. However, these estimates may be outdated and biased by measurement. The goal of this study was to explore the prevalence of multiple‐perpetrator sexual violence and ways to measure it. Data were aggregated across several studies that shared similar methodology in recruiting online, anonymous samples of adults (Table 1). Study 1 evaluated victimization across five samples of 2491 participants. Study 2 evaluated perpetration across four samples of 2699 participants. All participants completed questionnaires in a randomized order. Reported prevalence rates for victimization were higher than prior research (1.5%) and ranged between 2.8% and 10.9% (Table 2) with an average of 4.86% (see Table 3). Multiple‐perpetrator victimization items were significantly correlated with other victimization items suggesting validity, phi = 0.182–0.371. Reported prevalence rates of perpetration ranged from 0.8 to 18.9% with an average of 6.43%. Multiple‐perpetrator perpetration items were significantly correlated with other perpetration items, suggesting validity, phi = 0.190–0.582. Our findings suggest that multiple‐perpetrator sexual violence is more common than previously suggested. Psychometric analyses suggest initial validity, utility, and acceptability for all examined measures that should be further investigated in primary data collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]