This study combined qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the reasons many women use indirect messages to say "no" to men's attempts to escalate sexual intimacy. Subjects were six female students at a large southwestern university. At one time, one group had four women, at another time the group had two women. All were Caucasian. The room used was arranged to be comfortable and non-academic, and casual conversation was engaged in before the session was tape recorded. A prior study which found that women tend to use indirect messages in sexual situations was explained, and the focus groups were guided by a list of previously developed probes to assess the research question. Reasons cited in the groups for why women use indirect messages ranged from negative past experiences, to societal norms, to level of maturity, and personality traits of the male and female. While much data was provided by these focus groups, the inability to generalize led to the development and administration of a questionnaire to 29 female students in communication courses at a West Coast university. Findings confirmed the impressions provided by the focus groups--women apparently consider certain relational consequences to be reasonably likely outcomes of their sexual resistance messages, and view these as especially likely outcomes of direct resistance messages. The anticipation of negative outcomes may contribute to women's reluctance to use direct messages in this context. Using multiple research methods allows for more confidence in the results. (Contains a table of data, 14 references, and the questionnaire.) (NKA)