Effects of gender, rape myth acceptance, and perpetrator occupation on perceptions of rape

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of gender-stereotypical beliefs and associated factors (gender, level of rape myth acceptance (RMA), and occupation) on public attitudes towards rape victims with the aim of establishing whether participant and perpetrator characteristics have effects on individuals’ attitudes towards rape victims. With regards to participants, gender, age, occupation, and the extent to which an individual endorses rape myths were investigated. The authors also considered whether participants’ attitudes were influenced by the occupation of a rapist as described in a vignette looking at occupations deemed to be stereotypically male or female. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 185 individuals participated in the study and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions based on the rapist’s occupation (stereotypically male occupation, gender-neutral occupation or stereotypically female occupation). Participants completed an online survey consisting of a RMA questionnaire, read a short vignette depicting a rape scenario (where they were also informed of the perpetrator’s occupation) and completed a further questionnaire on their attitudes towards rape victims. Results were examined by regression. Findings – The results indicate that both participant occupation and level of RMA significantly contributed to attitudes towards rape victims, however, a statistically significant effect for rapist occupation was not found. Originality/value – Findings are discussed in terms of implications for individuals working within services supporting victims of rape and the potential consequences of holding stereotypical beliefs for rape victims and perpetrators. It is important that research identifies those factors that might bias decision making in the legal system and thus impact upon outcomes for victims and offenders.

The Effects of Gender-Blind Sexism on Rape Myth Acceptance: Results From a Nationally Representative Study

“…A meta-analysis of 37 studies conducted by Suarez and Gadalla (2010) found a marked gender gap in rape myth acceptance, with men routinely showing higher acceptance compared to women, and confirmed that measures of sexism and hostility toward women were significant predictors of rape myth acceptance (see also Aosved & Long, 2006;Chapleau et al, 2008;Ståhl, Eek, & Kazemi, 2010). Rape myth acceptance is associated with a higher proclivity to rape (Chiroro, Bohner, Viki, & Jarvis, 2004), how people perceive rape and assign blame (Basow & Minieri, 2011; see also Chapleau & Oswald, 2013;Duff & Tostevin, 2015) can prevent women from defining unwanted sexual encounters as rape (Peterson & Muehlenhard, 2004; see also Eyssel & Bohner, 2011;Heath, Lynch, Fritch, & Wong, 2013;Lemaire, Oswald, & Russell, 2016) and make bystanders less likely to intervene in potentially threatening situations (McMahon, 2010).…”

Sexism and Rape Myth Acceptance: The Impact of Culture, Education, and Religiosity

“…Studies have consistently found relations between social ideologies and constructs such as sexism and rape myth beliefs. As highlighted by Edwards and colleagues (2011), rape ideologies stem from a patriarchal structure, and attitudes towards rape are more tied to the observer’s belief system, often heavily influenced by one’s cultural norms, than to the victim’s features (Duff & Tostevin, 2015; Kaplan & Miller, 1978).…”

Exploring the Role of Aggressor’s Social Class in Rape and Its Relation to Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance

“…Despite the importance of the research about contextual factors, less attention has been paid to characteristics of the aggressor (Anderson et al, 1997). Among other variables, the aggressor's attire (Yarmey, 1985), physical attractiveness (Vrij & Firmin, 2001), social status (Deitz & Byrnes, 1981;Duff & Tostevin, 2015;Yamawaki, Darby, & Queiroz, 2007), and cultural similarity between perceivers and aggressor (Bongiorno, McKimmie, & Masser, 2016) have been considered. In the study by Deitz and Byrnes (1981), perpetrators who were attractive and in higher status occupation were attributed less responsibility for the rape compared with those who were attractive but in lower status occupation.…”