Rape Myths Among University Men and Women in Vietnam: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Sexual violence is a persistent, underreported threat to the well-being of women and girls worldwide. In Vietnam, as elsewhere, myths and misconceptions around rape and other forms of sexual violence present a major barrier to reporting and prevention. Based on qualitative research from a parent study aimed at reducing sexual violence perpetration at universities in Vietnam, we sought to characterize commonly held myths among university students that may contribute to the perpetration and justification of such behaviors. Our analysis drew on focus group discussions with men ( n = 69) and semi-structured interviews with men ( n = 12) and women ( n = 9) recruited from two universities in Hanoi. Conducted in April and May of 2018, interviews covered topics including gender norms, dating relationships, consent, and sexual violence, whereas focus groups conducted in October 2018 were designed to assess reactions to an existing sexual violence prevention program. Thematic analysis of interview and focus group transcripts revealed that myths and misconceptions about sexual violence persist among university-aged men and women. Chief among these were that rape results mainly from men’s uncontrollable desire, that victims provoke rape by their “reckless” behavior, such as drinking or dressing provocatively, that “real” rape is characterized by physical force from the perpetrator and “fierce resistance” on the part of the victim, and that rape occurs only under a narrow set of circumstances. Although men and women endorsed most myths equally, justification of rape through victim blaming featured much less in women’s narratives than in men’s. Myths concerning false rape allegations, observed in Western populations, were not considered relevant to Vietnamese students. Findings informed the development of a contextualized rape myths acceptance scale for testing and use in Vietnam. A nuanced understanding of salient rape myths among male and female students may also inform university-based efforts to prevent sexual violence.

Navigating Changing Norms Around Sex in Dating Relationships: A Qualitative Study of Young People in Vietnam

“…Recommendations from sexual violence researchers include establishing policies that protect all students from experiences of sexual violence, training staff to provide support services to survivors, and implementing effective sexual violence prevention programs (McMahon et al, 2019;Orchowski et al, 2020). For the latter, research to date suggests the need to address the underlying social norms that contribute to violence against women, including the normalization of sexual coercion (Yount et al, 2017) and victim-blaming of women who engage in premarital sex (Bergenfeld et al, 2020). In addition, empowerment training for women to enhance their sexual agency about the choice to have or not to have sex in dating relationships should recognize existing gendered power structures and emphasize equity in women's and men's responsibility to consent for sex (Carmody, 2003;Yount et al, 2020).…”

Sexual Assault Myths Acceptance in University Campus: Construction and Validation of a Scale

“…Among the variants derived from Burt's first work, the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance (IRMA) stands out for its extensive use. A scale developed by Payne et al improves the psychometric properties and the validity of the construct and includes a less ambiguous language, which facilitates its application (Bergenfeld et al 2020;Payne et al 1999). Payne et al developed two versions of the same scale: one made up of 45 items; and a shorter and more adaptable one, with 20 items (Payne et al 1999).…”

“…According to the literature, an association has been found between RMA scores and the probability of: perpetrating sexual violence; not intervening as a witness; not reporting the assault; or not feeling danger or vulnerability to rape in the case of women. The higher the score on the RMA scale, the greater the probability of having the aforementioned behaviours (Bergenfeld et al 2020;Megías et al 2011).…”

Impacts of GlobalConsent, a Web-Based Social Norms Edutainment Program, on Sexually Violent Behavior and Bystander Behavior Among University Men in Vietnam: Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Step 4, pilot , entailed piloting the adapted intervention and developing a plan for implementation. We conducted qualitative research to implement steps 1 to 4 [ 37 ], and those findings are presented elsewhere [ 38 - 40 ].…”