Characterological and Behavioral Blame in Conversations about Female and Male Rape

Abstract

This study investigated the spontaneous occurrence of characterological and behavioral blame in talk about rape. Although participants are willing to attribute both types of blame to rape survivors when prompted to do so by preexisting categories on questionnaires, little is known about the naturalistic aspect of these concepts as they might occur during the course of conversation. The present study also examined how participant and survivor gender influence these attributions. Findings showed that observers attributed both characterological and behavioral blame to rape survivors spontaneously during the course of conversation and in similar proportions to the self-blame observed in rape survivors. Also, both men and women blamed female and male survivors differently. Both men and women attributed more behavioral blame to the female than to the male survivor. Men also attributed more characterological blame to the female than to the male survivor, whereas female participants attributed equal amounts of characterological blame to both survivors.Studies have revealed many similarities in survivors' reactions to rape. Rape survivors typically experience a variety of reactions following their rape such as the shame of disclosure and safety fears (Ruch, Gartrell, Amedeo, & Coyne, 1991), and many of these experiences impede recovery. However, the attribution made by the survivor about the cause of his or her rape, usually in the form of self-blame, is thought to be particularly closely associated with postrape distress and recovery. One of the most widely researched theories of self-blame hypothesizes a twofold distinction between characterological and behavioral self-blame. First introduced by Janoff-Bulman (1979) in her research on counselors' views of self-blame in rape survivors, the theory has gained prominence because of the contentious hypothesis that some self-blame in the form of behavioral self-blame can actually be

Attrition in Rape Cases. Developing a Profile and Identifying Relevant Factors

“…With' respect to the latter, a substantial body of work has shown that observers attribute both characterological and behavioural blame to rape survivors and that some differences in blaming the victim were found between men and women observers (e.g. Anderson 1999). Such research could usefully inform future changes.…”

Gender differences in medical students' attitudes towards male and female rape victims

“…In direct comparisons with judgements about female victims, studies on social reactions to male victims have shown that male rape victims are frequently judged as negatively or even more so than female victims (Whatley & Riggio. 1993;Struckman-Johnson & Struckman-Johnson, 1992;Smith, Pine & Hawley, 1988) although several studies have shown the opposite effect (Anderson, 1999, McCaul, Veltum, Boyechko & Crawford, 1990Schneider, Soh-Chiew Ee and Aronson, 1994). A frequent assumption is that a man could or should have been able to fight off his attacker (Perrott & Webber, 1996).…”

“…Although several factors appear to influence responses to male rape victims such as sexuality of the victim (Anderson, 2004;Mitchell et al, 1999;White & Kurpius, 2002;Bunting & Reeves, 1983) where a homosexual victim is blamed more for being raped than a heterosexual victim, one of the most frequently observed influences of judgements of male victims is participant gender. Men appear to be not only more punitive of female rape victims than women (Ward, 1995) but of male rape victims as well (Anderson, 1999;Anderson & Lyons, 2005;Struckman-Johnson & Struckman-ATTITUDES TOWARD RAPE 4 Johnson, 1992;Smith, Pine & Hawley, 1988;Mitchell et al, 1999;Whatley & Riggio, 1993). …”

The Effect of Victims' Social Support on Attributions of Blame in Female and Male Rape

“…Although researchers have long attempted to change negative perceptions of rape victims, these judgements continue to pervade both individual and institutional settings (Anderson, 1999;Ward, 1995). There is much evidence to suggest that despite years of campaigning, debate and education about their deleterious effects, misconceptions about rape and negative social responses to victims such as attributions of blame are still a common part of the rape victim's experience following disclosures of sexual violence to social network members.…”

“…We speculate that the victim may be attributed less blame by individuals if they observe that the victim is already The present study also examines male, as well as female rape. A small but growing literature on male rape has recently appeared (Anderson, 1999;Anderson, Beattie & Spencer, 2001;Isely & Gehrenbeck-Shim, 1997;Kaufman, DiVasto, Jackson, Voorhees & Christy, 1980;Mitchell, Hirschman & Nagayama Hall, 1999), representing a shift in focus from solely female to male rape, which can be attributed to the increasing public realisation that men can also be victims of rape. Until recently, it has generally been assumed by researchers and the lay population that male rape is rare, primarily occurring in incarcerated settings (Donnelly & Kenyon, 1996;Stermac, Sheridan, Davidson & Dunn, 1996;Struckman-Johnson & StruckmanJohnson, 1992;Whatley & Riggio, 1993).…”