Face the consequences: Learning about victim's suffering reduces sexual harassment myth acceptance and men's likelihood to sexually harass

Abstract

Prior research has shown that (1) better knowledge about the consequences of rape goes along with less rape-supportive attitudes and lower rape proclivity, and (2) empathy with the victims correlates negatively with sexual aggression. In two experiments, the authors combined these approaches in order to reduce sexual harassment myth acceptance (SHMA) and the likelihood to sexually harass (LSH). In Study 1, 101 male and female university students read a report describing sexual harassment as either serious or harmless, and completed scales assessing dispositional empathy and SHMA. Results showed that higher empathy was associated with lower SHMA; furthermore, learning about the seriousness (vs. harmlessness) of sexual harassment led to lower SHMA, particularly in participants low in empathy. Gender differences in SHMA were fully explained by gender differences in empathy. In Study 2, perspective taking, a crucial aspect of empathy, was manipulated. One hundred nineteen male and female participants read either a neutral text or a description of a sexual harassment case, which was written either from the female target's or from the male perpetrator's perspective; then they completed scales measuring SHMA and (only male participants) LSH. The target's perspective led to lower SHMA and to lower LSH than did the neutral text, whereas no such effect was found for the perpetrator's perspective. Implications for intervention programs are discussed.

Sexual Violence against Women in Germany: Prevalence and Risk Markers

“…Diehl and colleagues [92], for instance, referred to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory [93] and the global gender gap index [94] in order to relate their results to other cultural settings. These authors conclude that one may provisionally declare that Germany does not differ very much from other European Countries or the USA with respect to gender-related attitudes and societal development.…”

“It was only harmless banter!” The development and preliminary validation of the moral disengagement in sexual harassment scale

“…Previous research has established excellent reliability and validity of the ISHMA scale. For example, the ISHMA is negatively correlated with trait empathy (Diehl et al, 2014) and is positively correlated with sexism and hostility toward women (Lonsway et al, 2008). The ISHMA is also a positive predictor of gender harassment and unwanted sexual attention over the Internet (Diehl et al, 2012).…”

“…Lonsway et al (2008), for example, reported a negative correlation between previous Moral Disengagement in Sexual Harassment 33 participation in sexual harassment awareness training and overall endorsement of SHMA. More recently, experimental research found that exposure to the negative consequences of sexual harassment attenuated SHMA among men and women, and even lowered men's self-reported proclivity to harass (Diehl et al, 2014). Given the conceptual proximity of moral disengagement and SHMA in terms of their function, it is expected that participation in training will exert similar positive effects in reducing moral disengagement and its adverse influence on harassment judgments and perpetration of harassing behavior.…”

“…Sexual harassment myth acceptance Recent research assessing social cognitions that facilitate harassment has focused on sexual harassment myth acceptance (SHMA; Diehl, Rees, & Bohner, 2012;Diehl, Glaser, & Bohner, 2014;Herrera, Herrera, & Exposito, 2014;Lonsway, Cortina, & Magley, 2008;Vanselow, Bohner, Becher, & Siebler, 2010). Sexual harassment myths encompass societal beliefs that: (1) women invite unwanted sexual behavior, (2) sexual conduct at work is normal, natural, and/or inevitable, and (3) that sexually harassing acts are harmless and pleasurable (Lonsway et al, 2008).…”

Rape Crimes Reviewed: The Role of Observer Variables in Female Victim Blaming

“…One of the most pivotal findings to emerge was the existence of gender differences in expressing empathy, since women seem to express more empathy towards rape victims (Anastasio & Costa, 2004;Diehl et al, 2014;George & Martínez, 2002;Mellor, Fung, & Mammat, 2012;Miller, Amacker, & King, 2011;Osman, 2011Osman, , 2014Paul et al, 2014;Sakallı-Uğurlu et al, 2007;Smith & Frieze, 2003) and men towards perpetrators (Ferrão et al, 2013;Mellor et al, 2012;Osman, 2011;Sakallı-Uğurlu et al, 2007;Smith & Frieze, 2003). Rape victim empathy has also been shown to be negatively related to rape myth acceptance (Forbes, Adams-Curtis, Pakalka, & White, 2006;Gerger et al, 2007;Jimenez & Abreu, 2003;Mason et al, 2004;Miller et al, 2011).…”