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Witte LP, Flechsenhar A. "It's Your Own Fault": Factors Influencing Victim Blaming. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241270030. [PMID: 39126313 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241270030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
This study examined the association between victimization and victim blaming using a sample of n = 142 participants in a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with the influence of subject gender, victim stereotyping level, threat level, and victim gender for victim blaming. Belief in a just world was included in the model as a covariate. Mediation analyses were conducted with the degree of identifiability with the victim and attitudes toward traditional role models as explanatory approaches. In addition, acceptance of rape myths was considered. The GLMM analyses suggest that victim blaming by male subjects was significantly higher on average than by female subjects when all other predictors were held constant. As an explanatory approach for these effects of the subjects' gender on victim blaming, partial mediation was found with the degree of identification with the victim as a mediator. No main effects were found for the other influencing factors, but only a statistically significant three-way interaction. This indicates a differential effect of the level of stereotyping for male and female victims in conditions that end in high threat. The finding of the main effect of subjects' gender seems to be particularly important for the legal system, as it appears to make a difference in who is asked in terms of victim blameworthiness. This finding highlights the importance of considering a victim's personal characteristics and the need for future research with an additional focus on the characteristics of the sentencers to help clarify potential biases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aleya Flechsenhar
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany
- University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
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2
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Dickinson OB, Roberts ME. Attributions of Sexual Assault: Effects of Victim and Perpetrator Stereotypes, Presentation Order, and Participant Characteristics. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2024:8862605241253035. [PMID: 38769885 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241253035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Research on sexual assault has shown that victim, perpetrator, and participant characteristics can influence evaluations of an assault. However, the studies have not examined a possible main effect or interactions from respectively introducing the victim or perpetrator first in an assault description, and previous studies have used participant samples with little diversity. We conducted two studies with factorial between-groups designs that varied presentation order in addition to victim and perpetrator stereotypicality and then assessed the impacts on participants' judgments of sexual assault scenarios. We used the online marketplace Prolific to collect large, diverse samples of participants, and in the second study, we collected roughly equal sample sizes of individuals who identified as Black females/males and White females/males. Our results indicate that multiple factors-including victim and perpetrator stereotypicality, presentation order, and participants' gender identities-significantly influenced judgments of the sexual assault, and there were numerous interactions. The results provide strongest support for a spreading activation model in which each factor can influence a participant's judgment of the other factors and the overall scenario. As such, the findings may bear on the legal handling of sexual assault cases as well as suggesting how different presentation formats and emphases in media coverage may sway the court of public opinion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia B Dickinson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, USA
| | - Michael E Roberts
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, USA
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Langen H. The impact of the #MeToo movement on language at court A text-based causal inference approach. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302827. [PMID: 38748666 PMCID: PMC11095728 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
This study assesses the effect of the #MeToo movement on the language used in judicial opinions on sexual violence related cases from 51 U.S. state and federal appellate courts. The study introduces various indicators to quantify the extent to which actors in courtrooms employ language that implicitly shifts responsibility away from the perpetrator and onto the victim. One indicator measures how frequently the victim is mentioned as the grammatical subject, as research in the field of psychology suggests that victims are assigned more blame the more often they are referred to as the grammatical subject. The other two indices designed to gauge the level of victim-blaming capture the sentiment of and the context in sentences referencing the perpetrator. Additionally, judicial opinions are transformed into bag-of-words and tf-idf vectors to facilitate the examination of the evolution of language over time. The causal effect of the #MeToo movement is estimated by means of a Difference-in-Differences approach comparing the development of the language in opinions on sexual offenses and other crimes against persons as well as a Panel Event Study approach. The results do not clearly identify a #MeToo-movement-induced change in the language in court but suggest that the movement may have accelerated the evolution of court language slightly, causing the effect to materialize with a significant time lag. Additionally, the study considers potential effect heterogeneity with respect to the judge's gender and political affiliation. The study combines causal inference with text quantification methods that are commonly used for classification as well as with indicators that rely on sentiment analysis, word embedding models and grammatical tagging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrika Langen
- Department of Economics, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Rinehart JK, Nason EE, Yeater EA, Ross R, Vitek K. Alcohol Use, Rape Myth Acceptance, Rape Empathy, and Sexual Assault History Influence the Believability of a Hypothetical Victim's Report of Sexual Assault. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:12046-12066. [PMID: 37864417 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231190345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
College sexual assault is a common problem, and survivors often do not report their experience to college campus officials or law enforcement for fear of not being believed. This study examined how contextual factors such as alcohol use and whether the perpetrator was described as a student-athlete or student, and rater characteristics, such as the history of sexual assault and attitudes toward rape, influenced college students' perceptions of the believability of a hypothetical victim's sexual assault account. In all, 449 (N = 449) undergraduates read a vignette describing a hypothetical sexual assault and were assigned randomly to one of four conditions with varying contextual features: college athlete-no alcohol, college athlete-alcohol, college student-no alcohol, or college student-alcohol. They then rated how much they believed the victim in the vignette had been raped (0 [not at all] to 100 [completely]). The presence of alcohol use in the vignette was associated with lower ratings of believability, and participants who were higher in rape myth acceptance and lower in rape empathy rated the hypothetical victim's rape account as less believable. In addition, women who had been raped previously rated the victim in the vignette as more believable than women with no history of sexual assault. Implications for how college campuses might respond more effectively to reported sexual assaults are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ryan Ross
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA
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Lim S, Park O, Mohaimin S, Lee C, Lee S, Chauhan D, Roberts T, Ali SH, Trinh-Shevrin C. Non-Partner Sexual Violence Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Adults: A Scoping Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:1818-1831. [PMID: 35446743 PMCID: PMC9585122 DOI: 10.1177/15248380221082088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) population is rapidly growing in the United States. Despite sexual violence being a persistent and significant public health issue, research on this topic among AANHPIs is lacking. The study objective is to conduct a systematic scoping review on the published literature on non-partner sexual violence among AANHPIs to identify gaps and priorities to inform actionable research. The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA Protocol for Systematic Reviews. Database searches were conducted of MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central of Clinical Trials, along with and AgeLine and CINAHL for peer-reviewed articles describing non-partner sexual violence among AANHPIs. The search was limited to articles in English published after 1990. Each citation was reviewed by two trained independent reviewers, with a third researcher resolving any conflicts. Of the 998 articles screened and subsequently 496 full-text articles assessed for eligibility, 38 articles were included in the final analysis. The majority of studies did not report disaggregated data for AANHPI subgroups, with most focusing on East Asian subgroups and little evidence on NHPI communities. Most studies were cross-sectional, quantitative, and employed non-probability sampling. There was a lack of studies on effectiveness of interventions and validity of sexual violence-related measures. Our review provides a first step in mapping the extant literature on non-partner sexual violence among this underserved and under-researched population and will serve as a guide for future research, policy, and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahnah Lim
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Onyoo Park
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Sadia Mohaimin
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Christina Lee
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Seunggun Lee
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Dhruvi Chauhan
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Timothy Roberts
- Health Science Library, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
| | - Shahmir H. Ali
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University School of Global Public Health
| | - Chau Trinh-Shevrin
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
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Dougez C, Taillandier-Schmitt A, Combalbert N. Influence of sex on judgments of an aggressive North African woman. PSYCHOLOGIE FRANCAISE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.psfr.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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Dalton A, Henry D, Blackstone S, Passuth J, Gutowski K, Birchfield H, Peterson B. Does the Presence of a Physical Disability Affect Classification of Sexual Assault? JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2022; 37:NP15075-NP15094. [PMID: 33706605 DOI: 10.1177/0886260521997951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of sexual assault is common and problematic, especially among those with disabilities. While many other characteristics of the victim, perpetrator, and situation involving a sexual assault have been shown to affect perceptions, only one study has examined the impact of a hypothetical victim with a physical disability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effect that a victim and/or perpetrator's physical disability status has on individuals' classification of encounters as sexual assault.University students over the age of 18 (n = 207) completed an anonymous online survey which included reading an ambiguous scenario involving a sexual assault in which either the victim, perpetrator or neither was in a wheelchair. Participants classified the scenario as either representing a sexual assault or not and completed the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance scale and demographic information. A binary logistic regression model was conducted to examine the effects of conditions, participant gender and RMA score on sexual assault classification.In the scenario with the victim in a wheelchair, 71.6% of participants agreed sexual assault occurred; when the perpetrator was in a wheelchair 58.6% classified the scenario as sexual assault. In the control condition 61.4% agreed sexual assault occurred. Condition was not associated with classification at a statistically significant level; however, the effect sizes indicate participants were more likely to classify sexual assault when the victim was in a wheelchair (OR = 1.41), but less likely to blame a perpetrator in a wheelchair (OR = 0.69) compared to the control condition.Despite a lack of statistical significance, the data show a clear trend away from blaming individuals with disabilities in sexual assault scenarios. These findings can have implications within the legal system where incorrect decisions may be made due to bias based on disability status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Dalton
- James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA
| | - Dayna Henry
- James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA
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Henry DS, Merrell LK, Blackstone SR, Collazo-Vargas E, Mohl C, Tolerico M, Singley L, Moody S. Does Perpetrator Occupation Affect Classification of Sexual Assault? JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2021; 36:NP10255-NP10275. [PMID: 31486341 DOI: 10.1177/0886260519873331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Classification of sexual assault varies based on the characteristics of the victim, perpetrator, and event. However, most studies focus on the individual characteristics of participants asked to classify the assault, the victims' characteristics, or the event; few have examined variations in the perpetrator. Therefore, this study examined whether the occupation of the perpetrator affected the classification of the event as sexual assault. Participants included a primarily White female sample of undergraduate students (n = 401) at a south-Atlantic university. They completed a paper-and-pencil survey containing an ambiguous sexual assault encounter where the occupation of the perpetrator (athlete, reporter, college student, or politician) was randomly varied. Participants were asked to classify whether the encounter was sexual assault and what an appropriate punishment might be. Additional measures included the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (IRMA) and questions about personal experience with sexual assault. Overall, most participants labeled the encounter as sexual assault, indicating that college students are aware of the legal parameters for providing consent. However, this classification occurred differentially based on the occupation of the perpetrator. Participants were most likely to label the athlete as committing sexual assault, followed by the college student, politician, and reporter, respectively. Females and those who reject rape myths were more likely to label the scenario as sexual assault. A "personal apology" and a "sexual rehabilitation program" were the most common punishments selected for the perpetrator. These findings highlight potential concerns and the need for additional training when college students adjudicate sexual assault reports and determine appropriate consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sarah Moody
- James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA
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Łyś AE, Bargiel-Matusiewicz K, Krasuski T, Studzińska A. Psychometric properties of the polish updated Illinois rape myth acceptance scale. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-020-01249-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractStereotyped beliefs concerning rape, called rape myths, are a global problem. The aim of the studies was to assess the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale which is used to assess rape myth acceptance. The tool has a high internal consistency (α = .92) and an overly good test-retest reliability (the It Wasn’t Really Rape subscale being one exception), The five-factor model fits the data better than the four-factor one. Both in the case of the four-factor and the five-factor models the brief version fits the data better than the full one. The study also demonstrated positive correlations of rape myth acceptance with right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, system justification, cultural conservatism, hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, beliefs in biological origins of the differences between men and women and unjust world beliefs. The correlation between rape myth acceptance and beliefs in cultural origins of the differences between men and women was negative. The analyses suggest that the Polish Updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale is a reliable and valid tool and can be useful for further studies of rape myth acceptance.
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Sjöberg M, Sarwar F. Who Gets Blamed for Rapes: Effects of Immigration Status on the Attribution of Blame Toward Victims and Perpetrators. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2020; 35:2446-2463. [PMID: 29294715 DOI: 10.1177/0886260517703371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the influence of the victim's immigration status, perpetrator's immigration status, and participant's immigration status on victim and perpetrator blame attributions. In addition, comparisons between men and women were made. Participants read a rape vignette in the form of a newspaper article and subsequently attributed victim and perpetrator blame. A 2 (victim's immigration status) × 2 (perpetrator's immigration status) × 2 (participant's immigration status) × 2 (gender of participant) between-subjects design was used. Measures of blame attributions toward the victim and perpetrator were used as dependent variables. The main results showed that participants with an immigrant background and native males attributed significantly more victim and less perpetrator blame. An interaction involving victim and perpetrator immigration status emerged for female participants and were subsequently discussed, as well as suggestions for future research.
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Durán M, Rodríguez-Domínguez C. Social perception of situations of sexual cyberviolence: The role of sexist attitudes and the victim’s transgression of gender roles / Percepción social de situaciones de ciberviolencia sexual: el rol de las actitudes sexistas y la transgresión de rol de género de la víctima. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/02134748.2019.1682295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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12
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Lewis KR, Robillard A, Billings D, White K. Differential perceptions of a hypothetical sexual assault survivor based on race and ethnicity: Exploring victim responsibility, trauma, and need for social support. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2019; 67:308-317. [PMID: 29952734 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1472096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Explore the ways in which a sample of college women interpret racially/ethnically coded vignettes to understand their perceptions of responsibility and trauma experienced by a hypothetical female sexual assault survivor and her need for social support. Participants: Convenience sample of college women (N = 51) attending a large, predominately white university in the Southeastern United States recruited between January and March 2013. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned one of three vignettes describing a hypothetical date rape scenario. Vignette scenarios were identical except for discrete statements coded to signify either an African American, Latina, or white female student. Participants responded to open-ended questions that gauged their interpretations of responsibility, trauma, and social support. Results: Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses revealed six overarching themes, including overt victim blaming/shaming, justification of the sexual assault, and perceived need for social support. Conclusions: Findings point to the significance of including race in discussions about and programs that address sexual assault on college campuses to ensure that all women who experience sexual violence receive the support that they need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaleea R Lewis
- a Arnold School of Public Health, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior Department , University of South Carolina , Columbia , SC , USA
| | - Alyssa Robillard
- a Arnold School of Public Health, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior Department , University of South Carolina , Columbia , SC , USA
| | - Deborah Billings
- a Arnold School of Public Health, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior Department , University of South Carolina , Columbia , SC , USA
| | - Kellee White
- b Arnold School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics , University of South Carolina , Columbia , SC , USA
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Angelone DJ, Mitchell D, Smith D. The Influence of Gender Ideology, Victim Resistance, and Spiking a Drink on Acquaintance Rape Attributions. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2018; 33:3186-3210. [PMID: 26917569 DOI: 10.1177/0886260516635318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined observer's attributions about the victim and perpetrator of an alleged acquaintance rape. Participants included 504 college students from a public university in the northeastern United States who read a brief crime report and completed a series of questionnaires for course credit. While men tended to attribute more blame to the victim than women, gender ideology emerged as a stronger predictor of rape attributions, and some types of sexist beliefs were associated with greater victim blaming and others with less victim blaming. Endorsement of hostile sexism, rape myths, and heterosexual intimacy was generally associated with the attribution of greater victim culpability, as well as less perpetrator culpability, perpetrator criminality, and victim credibility. However, complementary gender differentiation was associated with greater perpetrator culpability and criminality, while protective paternalism was associated with greater victim credibility. Observers attributed lower victim culpability and greater perpetrator criminality when the victim's drink was spiked, and attributed greater perpetrator culpability when the victim verbally resisted the perpetrator's advances. Given the implications that observer attitudes can have on professional and personal support for survivors, as well as juror decision making, the ongoing examination of the complex interplay between the person and situational factors affecting attributions of rape is essential. Sexual assault prevention programs may also benefit from a psychoeducational component that targets reducing traditional gender ideology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Damon Mitchell
- 2 Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, USA
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Tuliao AP, Hoffman L, McChargue DE. Measuring individual differences in responses to date-rape vignettes using latent variable models. Aggress Behav 2017; 43:60-73. [PMID: 27278255 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Vignette methodology can be a flexible and powerful way to examine individual differences in response to dangerous real-life scenarios. However, most studies underutilize the usefulness of such methodology by analyzing only one outcome, which limits the ability to track event-related changes (e.g., vacillation in risk perception). The current study was designed to illustrate the dynamic influence of risk perception on exit point from a date-rape vignette. Our primary goal was to provide an illustrative example of how to use latent variable models for vignette methodology, including latent growth curve modeling with piecewise slopes, as well as latent variable measurement models. Through the combination of a step-by-step exposition in this text and corresponding model syntax available electronically, we detail an alternative statistical "blueprint" to enhance future violence research efforts using vignette methodology. Aggr. Behav. 43:60-73, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antover P. Tuliao
- Department of Psychology; University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln Nebraska
| | - Lesa Hoffman
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies; University of Kansas; Lawrence Kansas
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Hockett JM, Smith SJ, Klausing CD, Saucier DA. Rape Myth Consistency and Gender Differences in Perceiving Rape Victims: A Meta-Analysis. Violence Against Women 2015; 22:139-67. [PMID: 26446194 DOI: 10.1177/1077801215607359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
An overview discusses feminist analyses of oppression, attitudes toward rape victims, and previously studied predictors of individuals' attitudes toward rape victims. To better understand such attitudes, this meta-analysis examines the moderating influences of various rape victim, perpetrator, and crime characteristics' rape myth consistency on gender differences in individuals' perceptions of rape victims (i.e., victim responsibility and blame attributions and rape minimizing attitudes). Consistent with feminist theoretical predictions, results indicated that, overall, men perceived rape victims more negatively than women did. However, this sex difference was moderated by the rape myth consistency within the rape vignettes. Implications for research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jericho M Hockett
- Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA Washburn University, Topeka, KS, USA
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Ferrão MC, Gonçalves G. Rape Crimes Reviewed: The Role of Observer Variables in Female Victim Blaming. PSYCHOLOGICAL THOUGHT 2015. [DOI: 10.5964/psyct.v8i1.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents an overview of empirical research on the role of observer variables in rape victim blaming (female attacked by a male perpetrator). The focus is on literature from the last 15 years. The variables observer gender, ambivalent sexism, rape myth acceptance, and rape empathy are discussed in relation to victim blaming. Most research on rape is conducted using diverse methods and approaches that result in a great disparity regarding the role of these variables in predicting blame assignments. Despite the inconsistencies, most studies show that men hold the victim more responsible for her own victimization than women. Findings further indicate that higher scores on sexist ideologies and rape myth acceptance predict higher victim blame, and that higher rape empathy scores predict lower victim blame. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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Abstract
The effects of participant gender and victim resistance on date rape perceptions have been inconsistent. Participant gender role attitudes may contribute to these inconsistencies. We found women with traditional gender role attitudes were least likely to agree that the perpetrator was guilty of rape. Participants were less convinced of the perpetrator’s guilt when the victim resisted verbally than when she resisted verbally and physically, and participants with traditional gender role attitudes were less convinced of the negative impact on the victim when she resisted verbally than when she resisted verbally and physically. Perhaps previous inconsistencies resulted from varying proportions of men and women with traditional versus liberal gender role attitudes in the samples.
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Sexual Victimization History and Perceived Similarity to a Sexual Assault Victim: A Path Model of Perceiver Variables Predicting Victim Culpability Attributions. SEX ROLES 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s11199-010-9910-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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