The Mediating Role of Victimization in the Relationship Between the Sexual Double Standard and Sexual Coercion Perpetration: Evidence from a Nationwide Sample of Portuguese Adults in Committed Romantic Relationships

The sexual double standard (SDS) refers to the differential judgment of men and women for identical sexual behaviors and has been linked to gendered sexual norms, relational expectations, and coercive dynamics. Sexual coercion, therein defined as the use of pressure, manipulation, or force to obtain unwanted sexual activity, remains a pervasive problem with significant psychological and relational consequences. Prior research suggests an overlap between victimization and perpetration, but less is known about how SDS beliefs may contribute to this cycle or whether pathways differ by gender. This study examined the relationships between SDS, sexual coercion victimization, and perpetration in an adult, heterosexual, non-student Portuguese sample (N = 351). Using moderation and conditional mediation analyses, results showed that SDS did not directly predict perpetration, but victimization mediated this relationship, explaining 52.2% of the variance in perpetration. Gender moderated this pathway: victimization more strongly predicted perpetration for men than for women. The relational norms dimension of SDS also operated differently between them - indirectly through victimization in women, but directly in men. These findings underscore the importance of considering gendered mechanisms in the victim - perpetrator cycle and highlight relational norms as a key target for interventions addressing coercive sexual behaviors.