Women's sexual pressure tactics and adherence to related attitudes: A step toward prediction

We examined the relationship between women's attitudes about merle sexuality find the use of overt and covert pressure tactics to facilitate sex with reluctant or uninterested men. Measures of the likelihood of use of pressure tactics and of the acceptance of sexual stereotypes related to men's sexual interest and availability were completed by 234 women from south-western Ontario. Women's reported likelihood of using both overt (beta = .31, p < .001) and covert (beta = .30, p < .001) pressure tactics were associated with a belief in male sexual availability for married women, and with a disagreement with beliefs in a gender-dependent sex drive for unmarried women (beta = -.32, p < .01). These results are discussed in terms of pervasive norms about men's sexual interest and the potential effects on men's and women's dating behavior.