The phenomenon of sex offences among new immigrants from the former USSR is a source of concern in Israel. This research studied students from Israel (n = 257) and the Ukraine (n = 195) to learn about their system of social norms and values regarding sex and sex offences. For the purposes of this study, a new tool was structured and validated that examines attitudes toward 11 spheres of life connected with the research topic, such as the status of men and the victim's responsibility for rape. The principal findings show significant differences in the norms and values of the surveyed groups, reflecting negative norms among Ukrainian youth. Results are examined in light of the possible implications for understanding the phenomenon of sexual violence among immigrant youth from the former USSR and the appropriate methods for treating them in Israel. The discussion highlights possible implications for other countries that face similar issues. © 2005 Sage Publications.

Sex offender Cultural differences immigrants Sexual violence

Social Values cultural anthropology Cultural Diversity social psychology Israel human statistics comparative study USSR Ukraine ethnology student Humans Adolescent male female Socioeconomic Factors reproducibility socioeconomics Reproducibility of Results cultural factor Article adult migration Emigration and Immigration Sex Offenses Cultural Characteristics Students sexual crime