Likelihood Of Rape Research Articles

Rape knowledge and propensity to rape

Previous research has indicated that greater knowledge about rape is not associated with reduced rape propensity. The present study differed from previous research by defining rape knowledge as knowledge about the effect of rape on the victim. Two scales were created, one measuring knowledge of rape trauma syndrome and one measuring beliefs about the aversiveness of the rape victim's experience. These scales and measures of attitudes toward rape and self-report likelihood of raping were included in questionnaires completed by 276 male and female undergraduates. Greater knowledge about rape trauma and perception of rape as more aversive were associated with fewer pro-rape attitudes and lower self-report likelihood of raping. The practical implication is that educational interventions may be effective in decreasing the incidence of rape. Theoretical implications are also considered. Specifically, the distinction between hostile and instrumental aggression frequently made in the more general aggression literature is applied to the issue of rape motivation. The pattern of results suggests that rape is more likely to be an act of instrumental aggression than an act motivated by hostility toward women.

Violent pornography and self-reported likelihood of sexual aggression

Two hundred twenty-two undergraduate males were administered an “attitudes survey” examining pornography use, attitudes, and self-reported likelihood of rape (LR) or using sexual force (LF). Nonviolent pornography was used by 81% of subjects within the last year, whereas 41 and 35% had used violent and sexually violent pornography, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of subjects indicated some hypothetical likelihood of raping or using sexual force against a woman. Discriminant function analysis revealed that use of sexually violent pornography and acceptance of interpersonal violence against women were uniquely associated with LF and LR. It is hypothesized that the specific fusion of sex and violence in some pornographic stimuli and in certain belief systems may produce a propensity to engage in sexually aggressive behavior. Results are interpreted in terms of Malamuth and Briere's (1986, Journal of Social Issues, 42, 75–92) model of the effects of sexually violent media.

Four Theories of Rape: A Macrosociological Analysis

This paper presents a theoretical model which integrates four macrosociological theories of rape. One theory holds that rape is a mechanism of gender inequality. A second theory attributes rape to the proliferation of pornographic materials. A third, called cultural spillover theory, maintains that cultural norms which favor violence for socially legitimate purposes tend to be generalized to other social contexts and increase the likelihood of rape. And a final theory holds that social disorganization reduces social constraints against rape. We tested the theoretical model using 1980-1982 data on rapes known to the police in the 50 states of the United States. The results show that gender inequality, social disorganization, percent residing in SMSAs, the circulation of pornography, economic inequality, and percent unemployed have direct effects on the incidence of rape.

Repeated exposure to violent and nonviolent pornography: Likelihood of raping ratings and laboratory aggression against women

This study examined the relatively long-term effects of repeated exposure to violent and nonviolent pornography on male' laboratory aggression against women. Self-reported likelihood of raping was also assessed as an individual differences variable that might mediate susceptibility to the effects of pornography and to ascertain whether it predicted actual aggressive behavior. Subjects were randomly assigned to the sexually violent, sexually nonviolent, or control exposure conditions. Those assigned to the sexually violent or sexually nonviolent conditions were exposed over a four-week period to ten stimuli including feature-length films and written and pictorial depictions, whereas control subjects were not exposed to any stimuli. About a week following the end of the exposure phase, subjects participated in what they believed to be a totally unrelated experiment in which aggression was assessed within a Buss paradigm. Exposure to the violent or nonviolent pornographic stimuli was not found to affect laboratory aggression. These data are discussed in terms of a recent analysis of media effects emphasizing the temporary activation of ideas in audience' minds. Likelihood of raping ratings was found to predict laboratory aggression.

Determinants of perceived likelihood of rape and victim's fault.

(1983). Determinants of Perceived Likelihood of Rape and Victim's Fault. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 120, No. 1, pp. 147-148.

Rape Proclivity Among Males

This article integrates the findings of a series of studies that empirically address contentions that many “normal” men possess a proclivity to rape. In these studies, an attempt was made to identify individuals with such a proclivity by asking male college students how likely they personally would be to rape if they could be assured of not being caught. On the average, about 35% indicated some likelihood of raping. To assess the validity of such reports as indicators of a proclivity to rape, the following three steps were taken: First, the literature was reviewed to identify responses that distinguished convicted rapists from the general population. The responses found to characterize rapists were greater acceptance of rape myths and relatively high sexual arousal to rape depictions. Second, the relationships between reported likelihood of raping and the responses found to characterize rapists were analyzed. The data clearly showed that in comparison with men who reported lower likelihood of raping, men who indicated higher likelihood were more similar to convicted rapists both in beliefs in rape myths and in sexual arousal to rape depictions. Third, the relationship between likelihood of raping reports and aggressive behavior was examined. It was found that higher reported likelihood of raping was associated with greater aggression against women within a laboratory setting. The overall pattern of the data is interpreted as supporting the validity of likelihood of raping ratings and consistent with contentions that many men have a proclivity to rape. Possible causes of such a propensity and directions for future research are discussed.

Attribution of responsibility to a victim of rape

Two experimental studies of attribution in a rape situation were conducted. In Study 1,240 graduate students read the case report of a rape and gave their opinions regarding the rapist's punishment and the victim's fault. A provocative victim was attributed greater fault than an unprovocative victim, but this effect of provocativeness was significant only with male subjects judging a low status victim and with female subjects judging a high status victim. In study 2,240 undergraduate students read a case report of a rape and gave their opinions regarding the rapist's punishment and the likelihood of rape. Female subjects recommended longer imprisonment for the rapist than did male subjects. Greater likelihood of rape was indicated with a provocative, rather than unprovocative, victim and female subjects indicated greater likelihood of rape than did male subjects in the case of a physically unattractive victim. The results of the two studies were discussed with reference to defensive attribution and in the light of a proposed distinction between causal and moral responsibility.

Self-rated likelihood of raping and the social perception of rape

Three hundred ninety-two junior college students responded to a questionnaire concerning a depiction of a rape incident in which a photograph of the supposed victim was included. A manipulation of the attractiveness of the victim produced several findings indicating that views of rape as a sexually motivated crime mediate attributions of blame to the rape victim. Gender differences in attitudes toward rape were also prevalent throughout the factor structure of beliefs which was found. Male subjects also rated their own likelihood of raping, “if they could be certain they would not be caught”. The results of a discriminant analysis indicated that high scorers on this self-rating showed a pattern of disinhibitory beliefs about the normality and acceptability of rape, and the seductiveness of rape victims. High self-rated likelihood of raping among males also correlated negatively with scores on the femininity scale of the BSRI.