Feminist Rape Education:

Abstract

The purpose of this research report is twofold: First, we analyze a complex of attitudes about rape myths, adversarial sexual beliefs, and gender-role conservatism; and second, we evaluate the impact of rape-education intervention strategies on American college students' attitudes. Using the Solomon four-group design, we randomly assigned 14 classes of Sociology 101 students ( total N = 582) to three different treatment conditions: a live rape-education workshop, a video of the workshop, and a control group. We found significant gender differences in students' attitudes on all the scales, with women being more knowledgeable about rape, less likely to blame the victim, and less accepting of adversarial sexual beliefs and gender-role conservatism. Most important, we found that within the limits of the study, rape-education intervention works in changing some attitudes about rape for both men and women students. We examine the impact of the different educational strategies and explore curricular implications, including the need to teach about rape within a feminist context.

Sexual assault prevention programs Current issues, future directions, and the potential efficacy of interventions with women

“…A study conducted by Fonow, Richardson, and Wemmerus (1992) exposed college students to a live or videotaped workshop. This workshop stressed rape myths, accurate information regarding rape, and a feminist conceptualization of sexual aggression.…”

Violencia de género en el ámbito universitario. Medidas para su superación.

“…Otra línea de investigación se ha centrado en la relación entre las actitudes de apoyo a las relaciones sexuales forzadas que se da en las fraternidades y la violencia se-xual (Yancey, 1989;Copenhaver, 1991;Fonow, 1992;Boeringer, 1999;Boswell y Spade, 1996). Kalof (1993) encontró en su estudio que, en comparación con otras mujeres universitarias, las miembros de hermandades manifestaban actitudes más estereotipadas sobre la aceptación de la violencia interpersonal y la aceptación de mitos sobre la violación, tales como "a las mujeres les gusta que las fuercen para mantener relaciones sexuales", "las chicas agradables no son violadas", o "las víctimas de violación son promiscuas o tienen mala reputación".…”

Compassion, Suffering and the Self

“…There is a historical tendency, evident in early explanations of sexual assault (e.g. Amir, 1971), to regard some (if not many) sexual assault victims as in some way responsible for their own suffering -as provoking or precipitating their own victimization, often encouraging the assault 'by their behavior, demeanor, or dress' (Fonow and Richardson, 1992: 108; see also Ryan, 1971). As Amir (1971: 275-6) concluded, 'the "virtuous" victim is not always the innocent and passive party'.…”

“…This reluctance might be linked with dominant social attitudes concerning personal responsibility, as well as those regarding personal initiative and hard work as determinants of economic success. Similarly, the 'American cultural story of rape' (Fonow and Richardson, 1992) is one in which sexually based victimization is not always understood as an undeserved experience. There is a historical tendency, evident in early explanations of sexual assault (e.g.…”