Sexual Violence in the Mass Media: Legal Solutions, Warnings, and Mitigation Through Education

Abstract

Depictions of sexual violence in the media can promote antisocial attitudes and behavior. Three approaches to the problem of sexual violence in the media are explored: (a) legal restrictions, (b) informational labeling, and (c) formal education. It is premature to advocate legal restrictions since existing research leaves too many questions unanswered. Informational labeling is not a viable solution because of problems inherent in the most widely used scheme, including the basic assumption that ratings should be based on what is offensive to parents rather than on what is assumed to be or known to be “harmful” to viewers. Research on educational interventions designed to mitigate the effects of exposure to sexual violence is discussed, and several promising procedures are identified.