Factsheet:Trends in unwanted digital communications regarding sexual orientation in New Zealand

This factsheet compares annual trends regarding the prevalence of unwanted digital communications in Aotearoa New Zealand based on participants’ sexual orientation.There is emerging empirical evidence showing that people who identify as gender diverse and/or non-heterosexual report higher rates of risks and harm online. To expand the available evidence, this factsheet presents new insights based on longitudinal data exploring and comparing the extent of four types of unwanted digital communications in the last two to three years. The factsheet looks at the prevalence of being the target and the sender of unwanted, potentially harmful digital communications that included physical threats, seeking to embarrass, stalking, and making a sexual advance.

Responses to Sexual Advances and Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships: Is Yes Good and No Bad?

We examine the relations between accepting and rejecting a partner’s sexual advances with sexual and relationship satisfaction and assess how long these effects endure. Couples ( N = 115) completed a 21-day daily diary indicating whether a partner made a sexual advance each day, and if so, whether the advance was accepted or rejected. Having one’s sexual advance accepted was associated with increased sexual and relationship satisfaction that day and increased sexual satisfaction up to 24 hours later. Having one’s sexual advance rejected was associated with decreased sexual satisfaction that day and up to 48 hours later. Sexual advances made by one’s partner were associated with increased sexual satisfaction that day and for up to 72 hours later, regardless of whether the advance was accepted or rejected. Findings indicate benefits of sexual activity, but also prolonged postrejection decreases in sexual satisfaction.

Responses to sexual advances and satisfaction in romantic relationships: Is yes good and no bad?

We examine the relations between accepting and rejecting a partner’s sexual advances with sexual and relationship satisfaction, and assess how long these effects endure. Couples (N =115) completed a 21-day daily diary indicating whether a partner made a sexual advance each day, and if so, whether the advance was accepted or rejected. Having one’s sexual advance accepted was associated with increased sexual and relationship satisfaction that day, and increased sexual satisfaction up to 24 hours later. Having one’s sexual advance rejected was associated with decreased sexual satisfaction that day and up to 48 hours later. Sexual advances made by one’s partner were associated with increased sexual satisfaction that day and for up to 72 hours later, regardless of whether the advance was accepted or rejected. Findings indicate benefits of sexual activity, but also prolonged post-rejection decreases in sexual satisfaction.

Are you coming on to me? Bias and accuracy in couples’ perceptions of sexual advances

How accurately do romantic partners perceive each other’s sexual advances? Two preregistered studies investigated whether perceivers over- or underestimate the specific behaviors their partner uses to indicate sexual interest (directional bias), as well as correctly detect the particular pattern of those behaviors (tracking accuracy). We also tested if biased and accurate perceptions were moderated by gender and explored how bias and accuracy predicted relational outcomes. Results revealed strong evidence for tracking accuracy in judgments of sexual advances overall, and mixed results for directional bias. Gender moderated only directional bias, such that women consistently overestimated their partner’s sexual advances, whereas men underestimated or showed no bias. Finally, biased sexual advance perceptions were associated with sexual satisfaction and love for both perceivers and partners. Implications for relationship functioning are discussed.

Body Self-Esteem, Virtual Image in Social Networks And Sexuality in Adolescent

Adolescence is characterized by concerns about body self-esteem, as well as sexual arousal. Social Networks (SN) have become the way to express the sex interests in adolescents and the place where they publish more virtual photographs. Objectives: a) Analyze the sex and age differences in body self-esteem, virtual images and sexual advance strategies; b) Carry out correlations among variables studied. Participants: 200 adolescents from 14 to 17 years, 98 boys (49%), selected randomly from the Basque country. Assessment instruments: Body Self-Esteem Scale (Maganto & Kortabarria, 2011), Questionnaire of Virtual Image on Social Network (Maganto & Peris, 2011), Sexual Advance Strategies (Roman, 2009). Results: Statistically significant differences in sex and age were obtained. The boys obtained higher scores than girls in body self-esteem, erotic publications and coercive sexual strategies. Youth of 16-17 years have more strategies of sexual advances and positive emotions to sexuality than adolescents of 14-15 years. Social and erotic body self-esteem correlates positively with aesthetic, erotic publications and physical and verbal sexual advance strategies. Conclusions: Adolescents with higher body self esteem, both aesthetic and erotic, more virtual images on social networks publish, and they are those who carry out more strategies of sexual advance, specifically physical and verbal strategies.