Perceptions Of Rape Research Articles

Why do People Blame Victims of Abuse? The Role of Stereotypes of Women on Perceptions of Blame

Stereotyping research suggests that traditional women (e.g., housewives) are seen as warm and weak, whereas nontraditional women (e.g., career women) are seen as lacking warmth but competent. We expected a nontraditional female abuse victim to be perceived as less warm than a traditional victim, and thus be blamed more in an abuse scenario. In an experiment, 118 Midwestern United States college students read a marital conflict in which the husband perpetrated high levels of psychological abuse. The victim’s gender role and reaction to the abuse each were manipulated. As expected, when the victim was nontraditional or she reacted negatively to the abuse (e.g., yelled back), she was rated more negatively and blamed more due to her lack of warmth.

What Decades of Quantitative Research on the Psychology of Rape Perception Don't Tell Us

What Decades of Quantitative Research on the Psychology of Rape Perception Don't Tell Us

Current Perceptions of Marital Rape

The current study extends previous research on marital rape and acceptance of general rape myths by comparing the perceptions of undergraduate college students (n = 85) to those of college alumni/ae (n = 44) who graduated from the same university three decades earlier. Participants read a hypothetical rape scenario that depicted the perpetrator as either the victim's husband or neighbor and completed three measures of different aspects of rape myth acceptance. Results indicated that although participants reported fairly low levels of support for different aspects of rape myths, certain rape myths were more strongly endorsed than were others. Furthermore, rape myth acceptance was stronger for marital rape than for acquaintance rape and for undergraduates than for college alumni/ae. Practical and theoretical implications of this study are discussed.

Effects of Attire, Alcohol, and Gender on Perceptions of Date Rape

This investigation explored three categories of college students’ perceptions of sexual assault: perceptions of similarity to vignette characters, perceptions of vignette characters’ sexual intent, and victim-blaming behaviors, using a convenience sample of 652 U.S. undergraduates and an on-line factorial survey containing a two-part heterosexual date rape vignette. This investigation predicted that vignette character attire, character alcohol use, and participant gender would each significantly influence perceptions in all three categories. Strong associations appeared between all three experimental variables and perceptions, with characters that wore suggestive attire or became intoxicated perceived as less similar and having greater sexual intent than characters that wore neutral attire or abstained. Few differences in actual victim-blaming appeared, likely because of the elimination of hindsight bias.

A Discursive Investigation into Victim Responsibility in Rape

The concept of victim responsibility has assumed a central place within psychological research into perceptions of rape. Research repeatedly reports that victims may experience secondary victimization and perpetrators may receive light sentences or even be absolved of the crime. Despite new policies and practices in the UK in respect of rape crimes, attrition rates remain extremely high. This article examines victim responsibility in the talk of convicted sex o fenders and those who work with them. Twenty-three interviews were conducted with professionals and paraprofessionals who work with sex o fenders. The taped therapy sessions of a prison treatment group were the source of perpetrator talk. Discourse analysis identified the existence of two discourses; the discourse of desire and the discourse of commonsense. Separately and together, these discourses served to attribute some responsibility to the victim and to conceptualize rape as sex.

The Influence of Length of Marriage and Fidelity Status on Perception of Marital Rape

To what extent does the length of the marriage or the wife's faithfulness to the husband influence the perception of responsibility or trauma in marital rape? In the current study, each participant was presented with one of four marital rape vignettes. The vignettes varied only in the length of the marriage (3 years or 15 years) and the fidelity status of the wife (continuously faithful or involved in an ongoing sexual affair with another man). Results indicate that both length of marriage and fidelity status significantly influence perceptions of marital rape. Specifically, participants assigned greater responsibility for the rape to unfaithful wives than to faithful wives. This finding is particularly salient for wives in long-term marriages as compared to wives in short-term marriages. Additionally, participants perceived rapes within long-term marriages as more traumatic than rapes within short-term marriages.

Cognitive behaviour therapy to prevent complicated grief among relatives and spouses bereaved by suicide: cluster randomised controlled trial

Objective To examine the effectiveness of a family based grief counselling programme to prevent complicated grief among first degree relatives and spouses of someone who had committed suicide.Design Cluster randomised...

Rape Perception and the Function of Ambivalent Sexism and Gender-Role Traditionality

This study explores the roles of benevolent sexism (BS), hostile sexism (HS), and gender-role traditionality (GRT) in minimizing rape, blaming the victim, and excusing the rapist. As predicted, hostile sexists minimize the seriousness of the rape in both stranger and date-rape scenarios. In the victim-blame scale, both BS and GRT significantly moderate victim blame in a date but not stranger scenario. BS and GRT moderate the perpetrator-excuse measure in a date scenario but HS is the significant moderator in a stranger scenario. These results show that external observers make different assumptions about a rape incident based on their GRT, BS, and HS levels in different victim-perpetrator relationships.

What is a typical rape? Effects of victim and participant gender in female and male rape perception

The study had three research aims: (1) to examine the current perception of female rape. Given recent changes in public awareness of female rape, it was predicted that respondents would conceptualize a typical female rape as an acquaintance rape rather than as the stranger rape stereotype; (2) to examine whether these perceptions differ according to respondents' gender; (3) to examine the 'cultural lag' theory of male rape, where it was hypothesized that if the public perception of male rape lags behind female rape, then a typical male rape will be conceptualized as the classic stranger rape stereotype. Findings showed that contrary to predictions, a typical female rape was conceptualized according to the stranger rape stereotype. It was also found that instead of lagging behind female rape along the stranger-acquaintance rape dimension, male rape was viewed predominantly in terms of 'other' factors (factors not found on the stranger-acquaintance dimension, e.g. victim/rapist sexual orientation, rapist calls victim names), which were erroneous, sexualizing and homophobic.

Is Rape in the Eye or in the Mind of the Offender? A Survey of Rape Perception among Nigerian University Stakeholders.

The issue of the escalating incidents of rape in Nigerian higher institutions has, not unexpectedly, agitated the minds of both students and university workers on the one hand, and the general public, on the other. This development has forced the hands of the authorities in some of the Nigerian universities to give priority to finding a solution to the issue by out rightly legislating against it, while in others, series of codes of conduct expected to guide proper dressing, the abuse of which was considered chief among factors encouraging rape, were put in place. This study, therefore, focused on investigating what the people, particularly, those that populate the university environment, perceive of rape. The outcome of the study revealed among other things that rape is associated with a forceful attempt at having sexual intercourse with an unwilling female victim. For this reason, it was labeled a crime by participants. There was also a unanimous agreement by participants that rape incidents are rampant, in the last ten years on university campuses across Nigeria than was the case in previous years and that creating a dressing regime by introducing dressing code for, especially, female students would be an effective palliative measure for curbing rape incidents. Causative factors and what can be done to totally put a stop to rape incidents on university campuses were suggested by participants. Key words: Rape, Rape perception, Nigerian university stakeholders

The Cognitive Risk Profile for Pain: Development of a Self-report Inventory for Identifying Beliefs and Attitudes That Interfere With Pain Management

An extensive body of research suggests that maladaptive beliefs about chronic pain can have a negative impact on patient adherence and treatment response. A series of studies to develop and validate a clinically-based, self-report instrument for pain beliefs, the Cognitive Risk Profile for Pain (CRPP), was undertaken. We sought to expand the existing body of knowledge for pain beliefs by development of an instrument with a somewhat different content and format than prior pain belief measures, and a primary focus on clinical risk assessment for treatment planning. Test development and evaluation procedures were applied in the initial stages of CRPP development. We report here on a series of studies to evaluate and refine the structure and content of the CRPP, and to establish its internal reliability, concurrent, and criterion validities. A 68-item version of the CRPP was evaluated, including a total risk score and 9 scale scores: philosophic beliefs about pain (PB), denial that mood affects pain (MP), denial that pain affects mood (PM), perception of blame (BL), inadequate support (IS), disability entitlement (DE), desire for medical breakthrough (MB), skepticism of multidisciplinary approach (SM), and conviction of hopelessness (CH). The CRPP was administered to two large samples of chronic pain outpatients (n=499; 125) in conjunction with other self-report scales for pain and associated beliefs, behaviors, and psychopathology. In a final study, treatment outcome measures were obtained for a subsample of chronic pain patients (n=91) to evaluate criterion validity. Confirmatory factor analyses showed improved fit for the CRPP scale structure after elimination of 15 items. The resulting 53-item CRPP was found to have good internal consistency for the full score (alpha=0.82) and 7 of 9 scales, with moderate consistency for scales BL and MB. Low to moderate scale intercorrelations were found. Correlations with pain and psychosocial measures suggested good construct validity for the majority of individual scales and total score. Results were inconsistent for scale MP. Multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVAs) based on tertile split of total risk scores showed significant main effects across pain, mood, productivity, and sleep ratings at 3 and 6-month treatment follow-ups. Analyses of clinically significant treatment changes (ie, 2 points on a 11-point Numerical Rating Scales) showed significantly higher prevalence of treatment "failures" at 6 months among CRPP high-risk patients, but no significant differences at 3 months. Results provide initial support for the CRPP as a reliable, valid, and useful measure of general cognitive risk for pain management. Results were supportive of the content and reliabilities of the majority of scale scores. Scales for denial of mood impact on pain, perception of blame, and desire for medical breakthrough will require further evaluation. Data indicate an association of CRPP total risk with multidimensional outcome from medical treatment of chronic pain, supporting relevance to treatment planning. The unique content and format of the CRPP may be useful in some clinical pain settings. Possible applications of the CRPP for risk assessment and treatment planning for chronic pain are discussed.

Rape Perceptions, Gender Role Attitudes, and Victim-Perpetrator Acquaintance

The connection between rape perceptions, gender role attitudes, and victim-perpetrator acquaintance was examined. One hundred fifty Israeli students rated their perceptions of the victim, the perpetrator, the situation, and the appropriate punishment, after reading scenarios in which rape was committed by a neighbor, an ex-boyfriend, and a current life partner. Significant negative correlations were found between gender-role attitudes and four measures of rape perceptions. “Traditionals” minimized the severity of all rapes more than “Egalitarians” did. As the acquaintance level increased, there was a greater tendency to minimize the severity of the rape, in the perceptions of the victim, the situation, and the punishment; the situation was characterized less as rape, and was perceived as less violating of the victim's rights and less psychologically damaging. Women tended to have more egalitarian attitudes than men did, and women were less likely to minimize the severity of the rape in the measures of perceptions of the situation and the appropriate punishment.

‘‘If they rape me, I can’t blame them”: Reflections on gender in the social context of child rape in South Africa and Namibia

The study was based on 77 semi-structured in-depth interviews and 3 small group discussions which were conducted with informants in Windhoek, Namibia and rural Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Children (abuse survivors and others), parents, men and women from the community and a range of key informants (such as police, social workers, health workers, NGO staff and teachers) were asked about their experiences and perceptions of child rape and child rearing. This study has its roots in the recent popular concern about the high prevalence of child rape in Southern Africa. Drawing on the data, we reflect on aspects of the social context of child rape in South Africa and Namibia that at least provide space for, without actually legitimating, these acts. We argue that children are rendered vulnerable to abuse because of a series of ideas which create opportunities, the most important of which is the dominant patriarchal ideology, compounded by the pronounced age hierarchies found in these societies. The high status of men, with respect to particularly girl children, leads to vulnerability through reducing girls’ ability to refuse sexual advances and generating expectations in men that they should control women and children. Rape is often an act of punishment, used to demonstrate power over girl children and manufacture control. Rape is also used as an instrument of communication with oneself (the rapist) about masculinity and powerfulness. This ability to avoid being caught was important in some rapes. Some children are rendered vulnerable by coming from backgrounds where the likelihood of cases being pursued was low. Whilst it is often said that communities abhor child rape, responses to cases show that often strong action is not taken against perpetrators and the girls may be equally, or predominantly, blamed. In cases close to home, perpetrators are often protected. Thus the dominant message is that much as child rape is abhorred, responses are highly inadequate. Advances in gender equity are central to positive change.

Rape Perception Differences Between Japanese and American College Students: On the Mediating Influence of Gender Role Traditionality

This study was designed to examine the differences in rape perceptions between Japanese and American college students. It was found that the Japanese minimized the seriousness of rapes, blamed the victims, and excused the rapists more than did the Americans. Cross-cultural differences in the gender role traditionality (GRT) were found to mediate these differences. GRT-mediated tendencies for increases in the intimacy between the victim and the perpetrator to be associated with increases in rape minimization and victim blame were also found. These latter tendencies were found to be greater among the Japanese than among the Americans. Gender differences in rape perception were also found among the Japanese participants.

Effects of Rape on Men: A Descriptive Analysis

Previous studies of the effects of rape on men have focused mainly on clinical populations. This study extended current research by investigating the effects of rape on a non-clinical sample of men recruited from the general population by media advertising. A total of 40 male rape victims were asked to provide details of their assaults, levels of psychological disturbance, long-term effects, and reporting issues. Results revealed that most assaults had been carried out using physical or violent force, in a variety of different circumstances. All of the victims reported some form of psychological disturbance as a result of being raped. Long-term effects included anxiety, depression, increased feelings of anger and vulnerability, loss of self-image, emotional distancing, self-blame, and self-harming behaviors. Findings are discussed in relation to previous research in the area and perceptions of rape.

Male University Students' Attitudes Toward Rape and Rapists

This qualitative study investigated male humanities university students' attitudes and beliefs about rape and rapists. Twenty male social work and psychology students participated in a semi-open interview in which they were asked about their perceptions of rape, rapists, and their own capacity for rape. The results indicated that these students perceived rapists as aggressive, mentally disturbed, impulsive individuals, yet saw rape as a planned act. The findings further indicated that, in contrast to their initially expressed abhorrence of forced sex and rape, 30% of the subjects later admitted that under specific circumstances they would be capable of forcing sexual relations or raping.

Social perception of rape: how rape myth acceptance modulates the influence of situational factors.

This study assessed the role of rape myth acceptance (RMA) and situational factors in the perception of three different rape scenarios (date rape, marital rape, and stranger rape). One hundred and eighty-two psychology undergraduates were asked to emit four judgements about each rape situation: victim responsibility, perpetrator responsibility, intensity of trauma, and likelihood to report the crime to the police. It was hypothesized that neither RMA nor situational factors alone can explain how rape is perceived; it is the interaction between these two factors that best account for social reactions to sexual aggression. The results generally supported the authors' hypothesis: Victim blame, estimation of trauma, and the likelihood of reporting the crime to the police were best explained by the interaction between observer characteristics, such as RMA, and situational clues. That is, the less stereotypic the rape situation was, the greater was the influence of attitudes toward rape on attributions.

Popular Perceptions of Rape as a Capital Crime in Eighteenth-Century England: The Press and the Trial of Francis Charteris in the Old Bailey, February 1730

Social and legal historians have long been attracted to well-publicized court cases as primary sources for illustrating the feelings and attitudes of particular historical settings. Such cases are frequently extensively documented, and the detail of their reporting often seems to provide unique insight into the thoughts, attitudes, and even the speech of a past not otherwise accessible. Use of the “famous case” as an image of its time is tempting and can be rewarding if its limitations are recognized. By definition, the “famous case” involves extraordinary events and/or extraordinary personages. Cases of this nature cannot therefore be taken as representative of all that they portray.

Predicting Men's Rape Perceptions Based on the Belief That “No” Really Means “Yes”

This study tested men's perceptions of rape based on the belief that women use token resistance to sex—that they say “no” to sex when they really mean “yes.” Participants were 131 male undergraduates who completed the Token Resistance to Sex scale and responded to evaluative statements regarding 1 of 3 scenarios: rape, consent, or ambiguous. Results supported the hypothesis that men with a weaker belief in token resistance would have stronger perceptions of rape when a woman said “no” to sex than when a woman said “yes,” and that men with a stronger belief in token resistance would have weak perceptions of rape in both situations. These findings implicate miscommunication as a potential contributing factor in date rape.

Women's Rape Perceptions in Beirut, Lebanon

In this article the findings from a recent research project on women's perceptions of rape in Beirut are presented. This study, which relied on interviews, participant observation and a review of newspaper articles, illustrates that when a sexual incident involves strangers or the use of physical force, or occurs within the bounds of arranged marriage, it is more likely to be perceived as rape, not as consensual sex.