Rape Myth Acceptance Research Articles

Social Media's Impact on Rape Myth Acceptance and Negative Affect in College Women: Examining the #MeToo and #HimToo Movement.

This study examined how the #MeToo movement, and backlash against it (#HimToo), influence rape myth acceptance (RMA) and negative affect among female sexual trauma survivors and controls. We randomly assigned college women (N = 389) to three social media conditions that either promoted RMA (#HimToo), challenged RMA (#MeToo), or did not address rape myths (general social media (GSM)). The findings demonstrated that women in the #HimToo condition reported more RMA, whereas women in the #MeToo and GSM conditions reported less negative affect. The results highlight that the way we talk about rape on social media influences momentary affect and RMA.

Policing rape and serious sexual offences in Nigeria: Officers’ experiences and appraisal of police investigative approaches

ABSTRACT The article explores the lived experiences of investigative police officers in managing rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) in Nigeria, a developing country with a conservative patriarchal system and deep-rooted rape culture. A qualitative study involving 24 sexual crime-investigating police officers of six states’ police commands in southwest Nigeria was conducted, and a thematic analysis of the narratives was carried out. Findings indicated police efforts at addressing RASSO are constrained by inadequate resources, deficiencies in personnel skilled in RASSO investigation, lack of specialist training, and low motivational incentives. Participants reported problematic interactions with RASSO victims and made comments that communicated their acceptance of rape myths, including beliefs surrounding victim culpability and false reporting. The study suggested the reimagining of police strategies at improving rape investigations by deploying specialist approaches to policing RASSO. Deploying specialism will require engaging officers with knowledge and skills in investigating rape cases, better engagement with the victims, specialist training, and addressing rape script acceptance among sexual crime detectives.

Barriers to Bystander Action in Sexual Violence in Guatemala: The Role of Rape Myth Acceptance

Understanding bystander barriers in sexual violence is an important step towards increasing knowledge on how to teach people to intervene safely. Although bystander behaviour has been widely studied especially in the US context, there is a dearth of research outside the Global North. In this study, we report results of an investigation in Guatemala, a Central American country with high levels of gender-based violence. In an online study, 1009 University students and staff completed adapted questionnaires on rape myth acceptance and bystander barriers. Correlational and regression analyses demonstrated that the rape myths ‘She asked for it’ and ‘It wasn’t rape’ were important predictors of multiple barriers (i.e., Failure to notice, Failure to identify situation as high risk, Failure to take intervention responsibility, Failure to intervene due to a skills deficit and Failure to intervene due to audience inhibition). We discuss the results in the context of Guatemalan culture and society.

Initial evaluation of a gender-inclusive version of the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale.

Initial evaluation of a gender-inclusive version of the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale.

Combatting Rape Myth Acceptance in United States' Criminal Justice System with Behavioral Economics

Using behavioral economics, this paper aims to analyze how rape myth acceptance presents itself in the form of numerous heuristics and biases throughout various stages of the United States’ criminal justice process that a sexual assault case must progress through. Due to the availability heuristic, inaccurate representation of sexual assault in the media promotes rape myth acceptance (RMA) among the general public, including potential jurors and law enforcement officers. Resultantly, police officers’ decision-making processes while investigating sexual assault reports implicitly discriminate female victims as officers struggle with the downstream orientation phenomenon.. In the trial stage, jurors utilize the representativeness heuristic to process complex case information by comparing the rape victim to a mental prototype shaped by rape myths. This hinders the jurors’ human information processing capabilities. Solutions to rape myth acceptance in the United States’ criminal justice system will be described in order to battle the high attrition rate of sexual assault cases.

Comparing Perception of Sexual Intent and the Use of Sexual Coercion in Men and Women College Students

ABSTRACT Despite research showing that many college men and women have experienced misperception of their friendliness as sexual intent, such research has focused on this type of misperception only as a correlate of men’s sexual aggression. In fact, regardless of methodology used many researchers seem to suggest women do not misperceive men’s sexual intent, and in some instances may actually under-perceive it. We used a hypothetical scenario to determine whether men (n = 324) and women (n = 689) college students perceived similar sexual intent from a character who is not the same gender as they are, as depicted in a story about a man and woman on a “date.” Our results revealed that men and women in our sample reported similar levels of perceived sexual intent on the part of the character with a different gender as described in the scenario, even after that character clearly indicated to the partner that they “think they do not want to have sex.” In addition, the perceived level of the character’s sexual intent as solicited in response to this scenario design was related to sexual coercion intentions among both men and women (though it appears more strongly related among men), and these relationships remained even after controlling for other known correlates of sexual coercion (e.g., rape myth acceptance, level of sexual arousal). Implications for the study of misperception and its origins are discussed.

Sexual Assault Labels, Compassion for Others, Self-Compassion, and Victim Blaming.

Two studies examined whether label preferences (survivor, victim, neither/other/both) and past assault experience (assaulted or not assaulted) are related to compassion for others, self-compassion, rape myth acceptance, and cognitive distortions surrounding rape. Findings indicate that a preference for a victim label is related to more negative outcomes (e.g., propensity to victim-blame, less compassion for others) compared to those advocating for a survivor label or falling into a neither/other/both category. Furthermore, those who experienced sexual assault have significantly lower self-compassion compared to those who do not experience sexual assault. Implications for the impact of labels are discussed.

Victim blaming, prior history to sexual victimization, support for sexually assaulted friends, and rape myths acceptance as predictors of attitudes towards rape victims in the general population of Pakistan

BackgroundIndividuals who have been sexually assaulted often turn to their friends for comfort and support. Responses to such disclosures vary greatly and may be influenced by prior victimization, the relationship of the disclosure recipient to the accused, and the recipient’s acceptance of rape myths. Moreover, currently there are no studies to date that have validated the Illinois Rape Myths Acceptance Model in Pakistan.MethodTo gain a better understanding of this phenomenon, the online survey was administered to the general population. Of this sample, 512 (consisting of 312 females and 200 males) reported having received a rape disclosure from a friend.ResultsThe results showed that having lower scores on rape myths acceptance (being less likely to endorse rape myths) was significantly associated with positive attitudes towards rape victims. Similarly, being female, having graduate or above level education, not blaming the victim, having prior history of sexual victimization, offering support for friends experiencing sexual assault, and being liberal were significantly associated with positive attitudes towards rape victims. Additionally, confirmatory factor analysis of the Illinois Rape Myths Acceptance Scale showed acceptable model fit indices and relevance to the Pakistani context.ConclusionIn conclusion, it has been assessed through the results that showed that having lower scores on rape myths acceptance (being less likely to endorse rape myths) was significantly associated with positive attitudes towards rape victims. Similarly, being female, having graduate or above level education, not blaming the victim, having prior history of sexual victimization, offering support for friends experiencing sexual assault, and being liberal were significantly associated with positive attitudes towards rape victims. It is further concluded that having experienced sexual victimization leads individuals towards showing empathy to rape victims and thus may influence them to provide support for such victims. The findings further show that Illinois Rape Myths Acceptance is a valid measure for measurement of rape myths in Pakistan as established through the acceptable model fit indices. With the use of validated scales, we could gain a better understanding of rape and the factors related to it, which could be used to inform practices and policy decisions.

Everyday Sadism as a Predictor of Rape Myth Acceptance and Perception of Harassment.

The #MeToo movement has stressed the need to understand why individuals who witness sexual violence may or may not take action. However, prevention programs usually fail to address the association between personality traits and attitudes, perception, and behavior in the context of sexual violence. To improve prevention programs' effectiveness, it is vital to understand how personality traits might interfere with willingness to engage in bystander intervention. This study aims to explore the relationships between Everyday Sadism, perception of harassment, Rape Myths and gender in a sample of 177 participants recruited online. Analyses revealed significant gender differences, with men endorsing more Rape Myths, perceiving less harassment, and being more sadistic. Gender and everyday sadism emerged as significant predictors of perception of harassment. In the case of Rape Myths, age emerged as an additional predictor. These results have several implications, ranging from expanding our knowledge of the influence of everyday sadism on factors known to modulate bystander behaviors as well as informing and shaping the development of prevention programs.

The Role of Gender, Sexual Assault History, and Sexism in Endorsement of Rape Myths Among College Students.

The present study examined the roles of sexual victimization history, sexism toward women, and sexism toward men in the gender difference in rape myth acceptance. The data were obtained from 2,011 male and female college students who completed an online survey. The results suggested that gender had a significant indirect effect on rape myth acceptance via sexual assault history and several forms of sexist beliefs. The findings supported the importance of considering additional antecedents of rape myths in research, as well as in programming geared toward preventing sexual assault and improving support for survivors.

Investigating Rape Myth in the Prism of the Big Five Factors of Personality: An Explorative Study

Background: A society’s perception of rape is largely determined by Rape Myth, an important psychological construct, whose endorsement promotes rape supportive attitudes among people. Again, the extent of people perceiving the various forms of sexual interactions are also largely affected by different personality dispositions. Aim: The present study attempts to assess the impacts of the big five factors of personality (often termed as the OCEAN factors) on people’s acceptance of rape myths. Method and Materials: A total 608 young adults (370 males and 238 females), who are the students of colleges and universities in Tripura, India participated in this study and were administered with the updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA) Scale and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory in order to measure the aforesaid study variables. Statistical Analyses: Product moment correlation and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were conducted to fulfil the objectives of the study. Results and Conclusion: Results in the Structural Equation Modeling model revealed that RMA is significantly correlated to and predicted by the neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, and agreeableness factors of personality. However, RMA and the conscientiousness factor were not found to be significantly related. While neuroticism was positively correlated to RMA, a negative correlation was found between the RMA and the other four factors of personality. The findings add concrete knowledge to what was known about rape-supportive attitudes till date. The study shall serve as crucial literature to future works on rape and rape myths.

Rape myth acceptance among Croatian and Cypriot police officers

This article draws on a survey involving 390 police officers from Croatia and Cyprus, where the officers’ views on rape and rape myths are measured via the updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale. In all, the findings stress that police officers do not buy-in the full array of the rape mythology, but only a part of it. Also, female officers, as opposed to male, appear to be more sensitive towards victimhood resulting from rape. Furthermore, the overall study findings complement findings recorded overseas, in other police organizations, attached to and influenced by different backgrounds and forces at work.

Risk factors for perpetrating sexual aggression among adolescents: Differences by gender and sexual orientation.

Although anyone-regardless of gender or sexual orientation-can perpetrate sexual aggression, most studies examining risk factors for engaging in sexual aggression include samples of boys and men, and do not consider the sexual orientation of the respondent. The current study addresses this gap in the literature by examining how risk factors for sexual aggression vary as a function of gender and sexual orientation in a sample of 1782 high school youth. Participants completed surveys evaluating engagement in consent behaviors, rape myth acceptance, perception of peer rape myth acceptance, perceived peer engagement in violence, and perceived peer support for violence. A one-way MANOVA found that constructs varied as a function of gender and sexual orientation. Specifically, heterosexual boys reported lower engagement in consent behaviors, higher rape myth acceptance, and higher perceived peer support for violence compared to heterosexual girls and sexual minority girls. The results highlight the importance of considering gender and sexual orientation when designing sexual aggression prevention programs.

Relationship Between Date Rape Attitudes, Rape Myths and Experiences with Sexual Violence Among Ivorian College Students

ABSTRACT Sexual violence is a global issue facing countries around the world. However, this problem is more prevalent in countries that have experienced protracted conflict. The present study explored the complex relationship between date rape attitudes, rape myths, and sexual violence using data from Ivory Coast. Two hundred college students from one of the major cities in Ivory Coast were invited to participate in the study through a convenience sampling approach. The results revealed rape myths acceptance influence date rape attitudes but date rape attitudes did not influence rape myths. Also, sexual harassment, age, gender, and religion influenced rape myths acceptance. Our findings do not only serve as a springboard for a policy or program development to create awareness about the negative effects of upholding false beliefs about rape but also, serve as a perfect starting point to reduce bad attitudes toward rape and its victims on campus.

Rape Myth Acceptance in a Community Sample of Adult Women in the Post #MeToo Era.

Rape myth acceptance (RMA) is commonly targeted in anti-rape activism (e.g., the #MeToo Movement) and prevention work due to its association with perpetration, risk of victimization, survivor outcomes, and injustices in the criminal legal system. The 22-item updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance (uIRMA) scale is a widely used, reliable measure for assessing this construct; however, it has primarily been validated within samples of U.S. college students. To assess the factor structure and reliability of this measure for community samples of adult women, we analyzed uIRMA data from 356 U.S. women (age 25-35) collected via CloudResearch's MTurk toolkit. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated high internal reliability for the overall scale (α = .92) and supported a five-factor structure (subscales: She Asked For It, He Didn't Mean To, He Didn't Mean To [Intoxication], It Wasn't Really Rape, She Lied) with good model fit. The rape myth ''He Didn't Mean To'' was most highly endorsed in the overall sample, while ''It Wasn't Really Rape'' was endorsed the least. Analyses of RMA and participant characteristics demonstrated that women identifying as politically conservative, religious (predominantly Christian), or heterosexual endorsed rape myth constructs at significantly higher rates. Education level, social media use, and victimization history yielded mixed findings across RMA subscales, while age, race/ethnicity, income level, and regional location showed no associations with RMA. Findings suggest the uIRMA is an appropriate measure of RMA in community samples of adult women; however, the field would benefit from more consistent administration of the scale (i.e., 19-item vs. 22-item version; directionality of Likert-type scale) to allow for comparability across time and samples. Rape prevention work should target ideological adherence to patriarchal and other oppressive belief systems which may represent a common underlying factor across groups of women showing higher endorsement of RMA.

Rape Myth Acceptance and Sexual Aggression Among College Men: Examining Perceived Peer Approval as a Moderating Risk Factor

ABSTRACT The current study examines the independent and interactive effects of rape-myth acceptance and perceived peer approval for sexual violence on men’s ability to recognize sexual assault within a written vignette, and on men’s prior sexual assault perpetration history. Participants included a sample of 610 first-year college men from a large Midwestern University in the United States. Men completed survey assessments of rape myth acceptance, perceived peer approval for sexual violence, and history sexual assault perpetration since the age of 14. Participants also rated the extent to which hypothetical vignettes portraying coercive sexual activity were considered to be sexual assault. Data indicated significant main effects of both rape myth acceptance and perceived peer approval on recognizing sexual assault and for prior perpetration of sexual assault. A significant interaction between rape myth acceptance and perceived peer approval for sexual violence was detected for prior perpetration of sexual assault, indicating that expression of rape myths may be inhibited when peers are seen as unsupportive. Interactive effects between rape myth acceptance and perceived peer approval for sexual violence were not detected for recognizing sexual assault. Implications for sexual assault prevention are discussed, including the possibility that combining rape myth education correction of peer norms may inhibit individuals from acting on rape myths.

Examining the Roles of Prior Victimization, Perpetrator Identity and the Correlates of Female Rape Myth Acceptance Among Indian Females.

This research attempts to address a widely under-explained phenomenon of female rape myth acceptance (RMA) among the female population. A total number of 500 literate women from India with a mean age of 28.89years were selected to examine the different determinants of their RMA. The research explored the important correlates of RMA among women, where the stepwise regression model revealed the significant impact of sexual desires, rejection sensitivity, loneliness, and neuroticism/emotional stability on their RMA. This further implied that women high on these four constructs run a 17.7% chance of endorsing female rape myths. The model eliminated the construct of online pornography usage, owing to its non-significant impact on RMA. Further, it was revealed that the history of prior victimization had a significant effect on the rape myths endorsed by the women. The study also reflected on the identity of the perpetrators of the women with a prior victimization history, where 55.43% reported it was perpetrated by a "known" person in their last experienced assault (and 44.57% "stranger" perpetrator). Whereas most women were victimized by "known" perpetrators, there was no significant difference in the sample's RMA, between the perpetrator identity groups (known and stranger perpetrators). The research concretely adds novel knowledge on identifying and predicting the female rape supportive attitudes among females.

Faculty Bystanders: Capturing University Faculty’s Willingness to Engage in Prosocial Behavior

ABSTRACT This study explores faculty members’ rape-supportive beliefs and bystander attitudes and behaviors. An online survey was administered to a non-probability, convenience sample of 167 faculty from a university in the US. The results indicate that faculty gender influences bystander behaviors and their age influences rape myth acceptance. Study results found younger faculty and faculty from specific colleges were more likely to engage in bystander intervention programming. Younger bystander intervention program participants were also less likely to endorse rape myths. The findings offer insight regarding specific content to include in faculty-focused bystander intervention programming and suggestions for messaging to ensure that bystander intervention initiatives are impactful to faculty.

Feminism, power and politics in policing rape research: time for a paradigm shift

Over the last 40 years, academics, activists and policymakers have attempted to improve police and criminal justice (CJ) responses to rape, yet attrition in rape cases continues to rise (ONS, 2021). Rape attrition studies have increasingly scrutinised the CJ process, initially in smaller scale, local research (for example, Lees and Gregory, 1993) and more recently through national analysis of the CJ outcomes of police reported cases (for example, ONS, 2021). While this has greatly enhanced understanding of why cases may drop out, the focus has increasingly been on explaining attrition in the hope of improving CJ outcomes, rather than victim-survivors’ voices and what they want from the process. Similarly, to explore attrition at the police stage, surveys have been undertaken with officers to understand their attitudes, including rape myth acceptance (for example, Sleath and Bull, 2012); again, with a focus on improving substantive CJ outcomes. In this article we call for researchers, activists and policymakers to pause and reflect upon the political and ideological reasons behind a focus on particular research questions using particular methodologies; and whether there is a need for more victim-survivor centred, indeed person-centred, research and practice where the focus is more on procedural justice rather than substantive justice.

Myths about myths? A commentary on Thomas (2020) and the question of jury rape myth acceptance

This commentary responds to claims that research by Cheryl Thomas ‘shows’ no problem with rape myths in English and Welsh juries. We critique the claim on the basis of ambiguous survey design, a false distinction between ‘real’ jurors and other research participants, the conflation of attitudes in relation to abstract versus applied rape myths, and misleading interpretation of the data. Ultimately, we call for a balanced appraisal of individual studies by contextualising them against the wider literature.