Intersecting Rape Myths with Race: Examining Race- and Ethnicity-Specific Effects of Rape Myth Factors on Police Responses to Sexual Assault

Abstract

In the current study, I integrate the focal concerns perspective, rape myths, and intersectionality to propose a theoretical framework through which rape myths contribute to racial disparities in criminal justice responses to sexual assault reports. I hypothesized rape myths would have larger effects on police decisions when victims are Black or Latina, compared to White. Using data from the Los Angeles Sexual Assault Study, I examined 726 cases of reported sex offenses, to determine if victim race conditions the effects of rape myths on the unfounding and arrest decisions. Victim race did not affect decisions directly, but rape myth factors had larger effects on police decisions when the victim was Black. Findings indicate that race influences decisions through rape myths and that rape myths contribute not only to gender biases but also racial biases and disparity in the criminal legal system.