Rape Myth Acceptance Research Articles

Considering the Impact of High School Sexual Education on Past Sexual Victimization and Rape Myth Acceptance in a College Sample.

Sexual victimization is a serious public health crisis affecting college students, with high rates reported among both women and men. Sexual consent education is crucial as it defines sexual assault and is linked to reduced risk of victimization. Rape myths and stereotyped beliefs shifting blame to survivors are established risk factors for sexual violence. Comprehensive sexual education can mitigate these attitudes, fostering a supportive environment for survivors. However, most high school students in the United States receive abstinence-based or abstinence-plus education, which uses unstandardized protocols and often lacks information about sexual consent. The following study explores the influence of high school sexual education on past sexual victimization and rape myth acceptance in college students. Six hundred sixty-four undergraduate students participated in an online survey through a university participant pool. Results show that those who received comprehensive sexual education were more likely to understand sexual consent and were less likely to endorse past sexual victimization. In contrast, students without comprehensive sexual education reported lower satisfaction with their sexual education and greater acceptance of rape myths. Despite limitations in the study's sample and reliance on self-reporting, this research highlights the importance of implementing comprehensive sexual education, including consent education, in high schools. Policymakers and educators must recognize the influence of comprehensive sexual education in promoting healthy relationships and combating sexual assault. As a significant public health concern, incorporating standardized sexual consent education into high school curricula can equip students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their sexual health and relationships. Future research should explore diverse populations and the mediating role of related factors that may further influence these relationships. These efforts will contribute to fostering a safer environment within educational institutions and combating sexual assault.

Men's attitudes toward third party casual sex

AbstractThe reproductive self-interest model of morality (RSIMM) is a framework for understanding moral judgments associated with sexual behavior. This model posits that individual differences in sexual strategies, mediated by one's religiosity and political orientation, casually influence people's moral judgments toward social hot-button issues. Previous work on the RSIMM has explained individual differences in attitudes toward abortion, prostitution, and contraception. Individuals more interested in long-term mating judged these behaviors as morally wrong. In this preregistered study, we proposed the RSIMM would account for individual differences in rape myth acceptance (RMA). RMA is the phenomenon of endorsing beliefs or stereotypes about rape that diminish the severity of assaults or shift blame from perpetrators to victims. We examined the relationship between political orientation, attitudes toward third-party casual sex, and RMA in a convenience sample of 308 participants (137 women). We predicted that more negative attitudes toward third parties' casual sex would correlate with increased RMA. Our hypothesis was supported for men but not women: Men who condemned others' casual sex, had more unrestricted attitudes about their own casual sex, and desired more casual sex were statistically more likely to accept more rape myths. In the discussion, we speculate that sex differences in the relationship between attitudes towards casual sex and RMA may be due to the costs of rape incurred by women but not men.

The dark tetrad in relationships: sexual coaxing, sexual coercion and rape myth acceptance

ABSTRACT Research has linked the Dark Tetrad to the perpetration of sexual violence. However, while sexual violence is predominantly perpetrated by those known to the victim, little research has looked at the impact of the Dark Tetrad in the context of intimate relationships. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between the Dark Tetrad, attitudes toward sexual coaxing and sexual coercion, and Rape Myth acceptance, while measuring the effects of relationship. Pearson's r correlations, independent sample t-tests, regressions and mediation analyses were conducted on a sample of N = 461 participants from the general population. Results show a gender difference, with women reporting more lenient attitudes toward coercive or coaxing behaviours, and men presenting more dark traits and endorsing more Rape Myths. Furthermore, relationships were established between sadism, psychopathy, and coercive attitudes. This study expands our understanding of the correlates of sexual violence, enabling the design of prevention programmes.

Perceptions of the freezing response of male and female rape victims, and the moderating role of rape myth beliefs

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether indicating victims of sexual attacks actively resisted their attacker or froze during their assault affected perceptions of victim blame, perpetrator blame and seriousness of the crime. We also tested whether victim and perpetrator gender or participants’ rape myth endorsement moderated the outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThis study was a cross-sectional, vignette survey study with a 2 × 2 between-participants experimental design. Participants read a mock police report describing an alleged rape with a female or male victim who either resisted or froze, while perpetrator gender was adjusted heteronormatively.FindingsFreezing and male victims were blamed more than resisting and female victims. Perpetrators were blamed more when the victim resisted, but male and female perpetrators were blamed equally. Seriousness of the crime was higher for male perpetrators and when the victim resisted. Female, but not male, rape myth acceptance moderated the relationship between victim behaviour and outcome variables.Originality/valueThis study highlights the influence of expectations about victim behaviour on perceptions of rape victims and the pervasive influence of rape myths when evaluating female rape victims. The data is drawn from the German border region of the Netherlands, which is an especially valuable population given the evolving legal definitions of rape in both countries.

Justice With Aloha: Police Interviews of Rape Victims in Hawaii

Rape is widespread across the United States, yet survivors often fear making police reports. Effective police interviews can reduce the re-traumatization of survivors and result in more useful reports. However, rape survivors (most frequently women) often have difficulty accessing procedural justice. Little is known about rape processing in Hawaii, especially from the police perspective. A sample of 887 sworn police officers from the major jurisdictions in Hawaii completed a quantitative survey that measured their knowledge of interview techniques, rape myth acceptance, number of rape cases, degree of collaboration with victim advocates, and specialized training. Results indicated that low rape myth acceptance, greater amounts of specialized training, indicators of a positive agency culture, more extensive collaboration with victim advocates, higher rank, and greater experience with rape cases were positively related to interview skill. Female gender did not emerge as a significant contributor to interviewing skill. Implications of this study include the need for: training to counter specific myths, improvement of collaboration with victim advocates, careful screening of police officers assigned to conduct victim interviews, better training to respond to survivors with disabilities, and the development of a work culture supportive to citizens reporting rape.

Investigating the role of psychopathic personality traits, gender and ethnicity in rape myth acceptance

Research has found widespread endorsement of rape mythology, with several psychosocial variables underpinning beliefs in rape myths, including psychopathic personality traits. However, findings on the relationship between psychopathy and rape myths are often contradictory. The current study examined the role of four psychopathic personality traits (Affective Responsiveness, Cognitive Responsiveness, Interpersonal Manipulation and Egocentricity) on Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA) scores, controlling for the effects of gender and ethnicity while making use of subtle, contemporary measurement tools never previously employed. A cross-sectional community sample (N = 228) were recruited online to complete the psychosocial survey. Results revealed that deficits in Affective and Cognitive Responsiveness were associated with increased rape myth beliefs. Gender and ethnicity were also significant predictors of RMA. Cognitive Responsiveness, though not Affective Responsiveness, continued to be a significant predictor of RMA after controlling for gender and ethnicity. The role of empathy traits in the aetiology of sexually aggressive attitudes are discussed.

Protective Factors for College Men’s Endorsement of Rape Myths

ABSTRACT Rape myth acceptance (RMA) is associated with several negative outcomes including the perpetration of gender-based sexual violence among men. Little research has examined protective factors for RMA, especially when accounting for differing types of myths. This study sampled 230 college men to understand protective factors for RMA. The findings indicate that empathy and attitudes supportive of sexual consent are protective for RMA with additional protective patterns of effects for individual rape myths. These findings suggest the importance of empathy and sexual consent education for college men. Prevention interventions might work to increase these protective factors and lower RMA as a result.

Почему люди оправдывают насилие: роль мотивационных оснований в поддержке мифов об изнасиловании

<p style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of this study was to examine the role of existential, epistemic, and relational motivational foundations in the enactment of rape myths. The online study empirically tested a model in which motivational foundations were included as predictors, rape myth acceptance as dependent variables, socio-demographic characteristics (gender, education, and income level) - control variables. A total of 739 Russian residents (381 men and 358 women) aged 18 to 79 years (M=36.8, SD=11.5) participated in the online study. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires to measure need for cognitive closure, belief in a dangerous and competitive world, fear of death, shared reality, and acceptance of rape myths. Structural equation modeling showed that the most significant contribution in the support of the rape myth is made by the need for order (epistemic motivational foundations) and belief in a competitive world (existential motivational foundations). The current research shed light on the main motivational foundations of the rape myth acceptance that might be used in the social programs to reduce tolerance towards violence.</p>

Undergraduate Students’ Definitions of Sexual Violence Labels Across the Rise of the #MeToo Movement

Examining changes in perspectives of sexual violence across the #MeToo movement is critical to understanding shifts in sociocultural contexts of sexual violence; yet the literature is still nascent. In the present study, we assessed variation across the #MeToo movement in undergraduate students’ ( N = 1,028) rape myth acceptance, sexual violence experiences, identification of experiences with sexual violence labels, and self-generated definitions of sexual violence labels (e.g., sexual assault). We also examined the mediating role of the relation between timepoint across #MeToo and students’ self-generated sexual violence definitions. Text analyses revealed seven themes in students’ definitions: Activity, Chronicity, Body, Contact, Gender, Force/Harm, and Consent. Notably, there was greater representation and a higher rate of change in the Contact theme in definitions following the #MeToo movement compared to pre-#MeToo, but only among students with sexual violence history. Rape myth acceptance did not change significantly across the #MeToo movement and did not demonstrate a significant role in time-related variability in students’ definitions. These findings provide support for the role of the #MeToo movement in facilitating more inclusive perceptions of sexual violence among undergraduate students, especially among those with sexual violence histories. We hope that with increased insight into the #MeToo movement's impact on sexual violence perspectives, continued efforts of the movement and prevention initiatives can broaden their reach.

Bystander Intervention in Football and Sports. A Quasi-Experimental Feasibility Study of a Bystander Violence Prevention Program in the United Kingdom.

In recent years, social campaigns and high-profile cases have brought increased attention to violence against women. Athletes can be role models, shaping both prosocial and antisocial attitudes. Their engagement in violence prevention could be an effective tool to tackle violence against women through bystander intervention. This part of a mixed-method feasibility study reports on the quantitative evaluation of an evidence-led bystander program, Football Onside, implemented at a football club in South West England in June 2018 to February 2020. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with intervention and control groups. Football coaches and club members (n = 50) completed measures of rape and domestic abuse myths, bystander intent and efficacy, self-reported bystander behaviors, readiness for change, perceptions of peer helping and myth acceptance, law knowledge, and program evaluation. Fidelity was also assessed. The analysis compared between- and within-group differences in mean changes over time using mixed-effects models. Participant ratings of learning outcomes were high, and fidelity was maintained throughout the intervention. Between-group comparison revealed mixed results, with greater improvements in the intervention group for bystander intent and efficacy at post-test and follow-up, domestic abuse myths at post-test, and rape myth acceptance at follow-up. Model contrasts for within intervention group revealed improvements in rape and domestic abuse myth acceptance, bystander intent and efficacy, perceived law knowledge at both time points, and perceived peer myths and helping at post-test. At follow-up, intervention participants reported significantly higher engagement in bystander behaviors. No significant effects were found for perceived importance of legal knowledge. Our research highlights the potential efficacy of a bystander program tailored for football club members. Cluster-randomized control trials are now required to examine bystander attitudes and behavior change processes among professional athletes.

Predictors of compulsive cyberporn use: A machine learning analysis

IntroductionCompulsive cyberporn use (CCU) has previously been reported among people who use cyberporn. However, most of the previous studies included convenience samples of students or samples of the general adult population. Research examining the factors that predict or are associated with CCU are still scarce.In this study, we aimed to (a) assess compulsive cyberporn consumption in a broad sample of people who had used cyberporn and (b) determine, among a diverse range of predictor variables, which are most important in CCU scores, as assessed with the eight-item Compulsive Internet Use Scale adapted for cyberporn. Materials and MethodsOverall, 1584 adult English speakers (age: 18–75 years, M = 33.18; sex: 63.1 % male, 35.2 % female, 1.7 % nonbinary) who used cyberporn during the last 6 months responded to an online questionnaire that assessed sociodemographic, sexual, psychological, and psychosocial variables. Their responses were subjected to correlation analysis, analysis of variance, and machine learning analysis. ResultsAmong the participants, 21.96% (in the higher quartile) presented CCU symptoms in accordance with their CCU scores. The five most important predictors of CCU scores were related to the users’ strength of craving for pornography experiences, suppression of negative emotions porn use motive, frequency of cyberporn use over the past year, acceptance of rape myths, and anxious attachment style. ConclusionsFrom a large and diverse pool of variables, we determined the most important predictors of CCU scores. The findings contribute to a better understanding of problematic pornography use and could enrich compulsive cyberporn treatment and prevention.

Sexism and Feminist Conspiracy Beliefs: Hostile Sexism Moderates the Link Between Feminist Conspiracy Beliefs and Rape Myth Acceptance.

This research examined the effect of belief in feminist conspiracy theories and sexist ideology on endorsing rape myths. Study 1 (N = 201) uncovered that the relationship between feminist conspiracy beliefs and rape myth acceptance was conditional on higher levels of hostile sexism. Study 2 (N = 552) demonstrated that for those with higher hostile sexism, exposure to feminist conspiracy theories (vs. control) increased feminist conspiracy beliefs, which were then associated with rape myths. The current research suggests that the link between feminist conspiracy beliefs and rape myths could result from such beliefs upholding a hostile sexist view of women.

Exploring the Underlying Constructs of Rape-Related Cognition Scales and Their Relationships With Sexual Aggression.

Rape-related cognitions (typically defined as encompassing any number of cognitive constructs) are thought to play a role in sexual aggression. However, rape-related cognition scales often assess these cognitive constructs as one. The purpose of this study is to explore the factor structure of these measures using a sample of 191 community men. We found that items from the Rape Myth Acceptance, RAPE, and Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance (IRMA) scales formed one factor, which was significantly related to sexual aggression. We further found that four and six IRMA subscales were significantly related to past and likelihood of sexual aggression, respectively. Additionally, one IRMA subscale was independently related to past and likelihood of sexual aggression. The results are discussed in terms of implications and direction for future research.

The association between gender role attitudes, rape myth acceptance and dating sexual violence: Different mechanisms among Chinese college students of different sexual orientations

AbstractDating sexual violence (DSV) is a serious social problem among college students worldwide. This study examines the effects of gender role attitudes (GRA) in DSV and the mediating role of rape myth acceptance (RMA) among students of different sexual orientations in China. A total of 2134 Chinese college students (553 men and 1581 women, 1751 heterosexuals and 383 sexually diverse groups) participated in this study. We found that sexually diverse men have the highest DSV perpetration (47.13%) and victimization rates (40.23%) and that sexually diverse women have the most equal gender attitudes. RMA is identified as a mediator of the relationship between GRA and DSV perpetration and victimization among heterosexuals, but not among sexually diverse groups. The need for more sexually inclusive educational interventions to decrease DSV on college campuses is discussed.

Relations Between Rape Myths and Behavioral and Personality Characteristics in Males Convicted of Rape

To date the relationships between rape myths and other psychological constructs within males who have committed rape have not been explored sufficiently. Considered as a risk factor for the perpetration of rape it seems significant to examine their association to individual behavioral and personality characteristics more in detail. Therefore, we analyzed the relations between self-reported rape myth acceptance and the self-evaluation of aggressiveness, assertiveness, hypersexuality, social anxiety, sexual anxiety, SCID personality characteristics and the external assessment of psychopathy within a sample of N=569 males convicted of rape. The results showed significant correlations with all constructs except sexual anxiety, antisocial personality and psychopathy. Furthermore, findings indicated the assignment of the relevant variables to two principal components: rape myths, aggressiveness, hypersexuality, paranoid and narcissistic personality (K1) on the one hand and psychopathy and antisocial personality (K2) on the other hand. Following the results, rape myths are contextualized within the investigated psychological constructs and their potential differentiation from psychopathy and antisocial personality is discussed.

Do Psychopathic Traits, Sexual Victimisation Experiences and Emotional Intelligence Predict Attitudes Towards Rape? Examining the Psychosocial correlates of Rape Myth Beliefs among a cross-sectional community sample

Vast research has sought to better understand the origins and development of rape myth beliefs given the problematic influence of such misconceptions throughout global societies and criminal justice pathways. The current research aims to build on this body of literature by examining the contribution that psychopathic personality traits (affective responsiveness, cognitive responsiveness, interpersonal manipulation, egocentricity) and emotional intelligence may have upon rape myth beliefs. Furthermore, this study will investigate the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, education), and prior experience of sexual victimisation, contribute to variance in rape myth acceptance scores. In total 251 participants (M Age = 31.66) completed an online, self-report questionnaire which included contemporary measures of psychopathy and rape myth acceptance, never previously tested in combination. Results of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicate that egocentricity, age, and gender were significantly associated with rape myth beliefs. Emotional intelligence, as well as affective and interpersonal traits of psychopathy, were not directly related with rape mythology. Findings are interpreted alongside previous research, where we suggest there is an urgent need for larger, nationally representative samples, systematically recruited from the general population to help clarify uncertainty in existing literature emerging from small-scale opportunistic datasets.

“A No means No”: rape myth acceptance, victim blaming and hostile sexism as predictors of acceptance towards rape on a date among Pakistani adults

ABSTRACT Past research has shown that date rape continues to remain a major instrument in rape cases. Moreover, hostile sexism and victim blaming are significant predictors of acceptance of rape on dates. The current study assesses whether rape myth acceptance, victim blaming and hostile sexism significantly predict acceptance towards rape on a date among Pakistani adults. A cross-sectional research design was employed in the study with a sample of 330 participants selected through a sensitivity analysis based on G power analysis with 95% confidence intervals. The findings showed that this sample was sufficient to achieve the desired effect sizes. Data analysis was done using Pearson product moment correlation, hierarchical regression, independent sample t test and moderated mediation analysis via AMOS. The results showed that all study variables had acceptable levels of reliability. It was also found that hostile sexism, victim blaming and rape myth acceptance significantly and positively predicted acceptance of rape perpetrated by a male on a date. The findings further showed higher levels of victim blaming moderated the mediating effect of hostile sexism on the association between rape myth acceptance and acceptance of rape perpetrated by a male on a date. It is thus concluded that hostile sexism, victim blaming and rape myth acceptance significantly predict acceptance of rape on a date. It was also found that males have a higher tendency towards hostile sexism, victim blaming and rape myth acceptance and thus may be more likely to view the perpetrators of rape as being more credible in comparison to the victims.

Predictors of Rape Myth Acceptance Among South Asian Students in Canada.

Transmission of rape myths is expected in every culture, yet limited research exists on rape myth acceptance (RMA) within global South Asian (SA) diasporas. We examined whether gender, attitudes toward gender roles, and patriarchal beliefs contributed to RMA among young SA adults in Canada. An ethnically diverse sample of 116 (ages 17-25) students, comprising equal numbers of men and women and domestic and international students, completed an online survey. SA students were generally egalitarian with low RMA similar to the majority of North American samples. As predicted, male gender, traditional attitudes towards SA women, and patriarchal beliefs were strong predictors of RMA.

Sexual Assault Among College Women: The Role of Survivor Acknowledgment, Rape Myth Acceptance, Weight Bias, and Body Appreciation.

Approximately one in five college women experience a sexual assault (SA), though a meaningful percentage of survivors do not acknowledge or label their experience as such. Research indicates that acknowledgment status is often influenced by how closely SA incidents align with the "real rape" script and degree of survivor rape myth acceptance (RMA). However, studies evaluating acknowledgment paired with other attitudes and health outcomes among survivors is sparse. The current study examined the relation between acknowledgment status, RMA, weight-related constructs, and psychological well-being among three groups of college women (N = 584): non-survivors, unacknowledged survivors, and acknowledged survivors. Findings indicate that, among survivors, acknowledged compared to unacknowledged SA is significantly associated with diminished body appreciation, self-esteem, and increased internalized weight bias, though no differences in psychological distress were found.

Blaming the Victim, the Bystander, the Perpetrator, or the Institution: Student Allocation of Responsibility for Sexual Assault when Programming Hypothetically Varies

ABSTRACT Guided by theories of socialization and just policy theory, we explore how students allocate blame when sexual assault prevention programming hypothetically varies, net of the effects of evaluators’ traits. Using a survey instrument containing a series of vignettes, we ask whether university students’ (N = 254) perceptions of responsibility attributed to victims, perpetrators, bystanders, and university administrators varies by hypothetical program trainee and also by the hypothetical implementation of any program versus no program. Findings indicate that students allocate more blame to bystanders and perpetrators when hypothetical programming includes bystander training but that programs that train victims are not associated with increased victim blaming. Administrators are blamed less when bystander intervention is included in programming. However, compared to when no training is hypothetically implemented, students allocate more blame to victims and bystanders when any programming is present and less to administrators. Among respondent-level controls, victim blaming is consistently predicted by evaluators’ rape myth acceptance. Implications for future work, theoretical development, and policy are discussed.