Strategies of sexual refusal in effervescent nightlife settings: A study of Spanish university students

Irantzu Recalde-Esnoz; Sébastien Tutenges; Héctor Del Castillo

doi:10.1177/13634607241278827

Strategies of sexual refusal in effervescent nightlife settings: A study of Spanish university students

Irantzu Recalde-Esnoz^*, Sébastien Tutenges, Héctor Del Castillo

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

A growing body of studies focuses on sexual harassment and violence in nightlife venues, primarily as it affects adolescent and adult women. In these settings, the boundary between flirtation and unwanted sexual attention easily blurs. This study examines how young women reject such attention. It draws on in-depth interviews with 53 Spanish undergraduates aged 18 to 25 from a Madrid public university. The findings unveil both individual strategies for sexual refusal (e.g., ignoring, distancing, lying) as well as collective strategies (e.g., using friends as mediators or protectors). The interviewed women perceived these actions as emotionally and practically challenging. These results advance the understanding of interactions in situations of collective effervescence, which may be conducive of transgression and sexual violence.

Original language	English
Journal	Sexualities
Volume	28
Issue	4
Pages (from-to)	1634-1652
Number of pages	19
ISSN	1363-4607
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607241278827
Publication status	Published - Jun 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Collective effervescence
flirtation
nightlife
sexual violence
Spain

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10.1177/13634607241278827

Check availability with the Royal Danish Library

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title = "Strategies of sexual refusal in effervescent nightlife settings: A study of Spanish university students",

abstract = "A growing body of studies focuses on sexual harassment and violence in nightlife venues, primarily as it affects adolescent and adult women. In these settings, the boundary between flirtation and unwanted sexual attention easily blurs. This study examines how young women reject such attention. It draws on in-depth interviews with 53 Spanish undergraduates aged 18 to 25 from a Madrid public university. The findings unveil both individual strategies for sexual refusal (e.g., ignoring, distancing, lying) as well as collective strategies (e.g., using friends as mediators or protectors). The interviewed women perceived these actions as emotionally and practically challenging. These results advance the understanding of interactions in situations of collective effervescence, which may be conducive of transgression and sexual violence.",

keywords = "Collective effervescence, flirtation, nightlife, sexual violence, Spain",

author = "Irantzu Recalde-Esnoz and S{\'e}bastien Tutenges and {Del Castillo}, H{\'e}ctor",

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year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1177/13634607241278827",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

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Strategies of sexual refusal in effervescent nightlife settings: A study of Spanish university students. / Recalde-Esnoz, Irantzu; Tutenges, Sébastien; Del Castillo, Héctor.
In: Sexualities, Vol. 28, No. 4, 06.2025, p. 1634-1652.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Strategies of sexual refusal in effervescent nightlife settings

T2 - A study of Spanish university students

AU - Recalde-Esnoz, Irantzu

AU - Tutenges, Sébastien

AU - Del Castillo, Héctor

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2025/6

Y1 - 2025/6

N2 - A growing body of studies focuses on sexual harassment and violence in nightlife venues, primarily as it affects adolescent and adult women. In these settings, the boundary between flirtation and unwanted sexual attention easily blurs. This study examines how young women reject such attention. It draws on in-depth interviews with 53 Spanish undergraduates aged 18 to 25 from a Madrid public university. The findings unveil both individual strategies for sexual refusal (e.g., ignoring, distancing, lying) as well as collective strategies (e.g., using friends as mediators or protectors). The interviewed women perceived these actions as emotionally and practically challenging. These results advance the understanding of interactions in situations of collective effervescence, which may be conducive of transgression and sexual violence.

AB - A growing body of studies focuses on sexual harassment and violence in nightlife venues, primarily as it affects adolescent and adult women. In these settings, the boundary between flirtation and unwanted sexual attention easily blurs. This study examines how young women reject such attention. It draws on in-depth interviews with 53 Spanish undergraduates aged 18 to 25 from a Madrid public university. The findings unveil both individual strategies for sexual refusal (e.g., ignoring, distancing, lying) as well as collective strategies (e.g., using friends as mediators or protectors). The interviewed women perceived these actions as emotionally and practically challenging. These results advance the understanding of interactions in situations of collective effervescence, which may be conducive of transgression and sexual violence.

KW - Collective effervescence

KW - flirtation

KW - nightlife

KW - sexual violence

KW - Spain

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DO - 10.1177/13634607241278827

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85203315758

SN - 1363-4607

VL - 28

SP - 1634

EP - 1652

JO - Sexualities

JF - Sexualities

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ER -

Strategies of sexual refusal in effervescent nightlife settings: A study of Spanish university students

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

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