scholarly journals GENDER ROLE NORM CONFORMITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joke Depraetere ◽  
Ines Keygnaert ◽  
Christophe Vandeviver
Keyword(s):  
Gender Role ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Male Victims ◽  
Role Norm ◽  
Role Norms ◽  
Myth Acceptance

Background. The possibility of men being perceived as sexual violence victims is constrained by stereotypical masculine gender norms, describing men as dominant and sexual opportunists, and by rape myths. These stereotypical views suggest that men cannot suffer adverse psychological consequences from sexual victimization and are less affected by it compared to women. Nevertheless, research demonstrates that men suffer psychologically from sexual victimization similar to women, and that their victimization might be associated with poorer psychological health outcomes compared to women. Additionally, scholars have argued that stereotypical gender roles and rape myths may worsen the adverse outcomes of sexual victimization. Yet, thus far, empirical research to test these hypotheses was lacking.Method. We examined the psychological consequences of sexual victimization among 696 male (n = 135) and female (n = 561) college students who self-identified as victims of sexual violence. We examined the effect of gender role norm endorsement and rape myth acceptance on the severity of self-reported psychological consequences of sexual victimization. Results. Results showed that, overall, female victims disclose psychological consequences to a greater extent than male victims. Our findings confirmed that higher endorsement of both masculine and feminine gender role norms increase the severity of psychological consequences among both men and women. Rape myth acceptance only influenced the severity of the consequences for female victims but in the opposite direction than hypothesized. Nonetheless, the odds ratio suggest that the influence of rape myth acceptance is negligible. Conclusion. With this study we point out the problematic influence gender role norms have on victims of sexual violence, particularly male victims, and the consequences they may suffer. We argue for a deconstruction of stereotypical masculine role norms in order for men to accept their victimization and talk about their experiences with others.

Rape myth acceptance, male gender role norms, attitudes towards women, and psychopathic traits in a military sample

2019 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 125-131
Author(s):  
Alexa DeLisle ◽  
Hannah C. Walsh ◽  
Pamela M. Holtz ◽  
Jennifer Callahan ◽  
Craig S. Neumann
Keyword(s):  
Gender Role ◽  
Psychopathic Traits ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Male Gender ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Male Gender Role ◽  
Role Norms ◽  
Gender Role Norms ◽  
Myth Acceptance

Gender Role Conflict, Homophobia, Age, and Education as Predictors of Male Rape Myth Acceptance

2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslee R. Kassing ◽  
Denise Beesley ◽  
Lisa L. Frey
Keyword(s):  
Gender Role ◽  
Role Conflict ◽  
Gender Role Conflict ◽  
Rape Myths ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Male Rape ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Myth Acceptance

The relationship of homophobia and gender role conflict to male rape myth acceptance was investigated using a sample of 210 adult men from a Midwestern community. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the ability of certain variables to predict adherence to male rape myths. Those variables were homophobia; success, power, and competition attitudes; restrictive affectionate behavior between men; restrictive emotionality; and conflicts between work and family relationships. Results indicated that greater adherence to rape myths was related to homophobia and more success, power, and competitive attitudes. Additionally, older participants and participants with lower levels of education were more likely to endorse greater adherence to rape myths. Implications of this research include the necessity for more research on male rape myth acceptance, for implementation of educational programs and changes in the socialization process to help dispel these myths, and for mental health counselors to provide unbiased and gender-responsive treatment modalities to male victims who seek help.

Cognitive processes underlying the self–other perspective in women’s judgments of sexual victimization risk

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 1381-1399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny K. Rinehart ◽  
Elizabeth A. Yeater ◽  
Teresa A. Treat ◽  
Richard J. Viken
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
The Self ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Undergraduate Women ◽  
Victimization Risk ◽  
Risk Judgments ◽  
Myth Acceptance

This study examined the cognitive processes underlying self–other differences in women’s judgments of sexual victimization risk, as well as individual difference factors associated with those processes. Participants were 518 undergraduate women between the ages of 18 and 24. The majority of the women were either White (47.5%) or Hispanic (31.9%). Stimuli were 81 vignettes depicting social situations varying in degree of sexual victimization risk and potential impact on the woman’s popularity. Participants imagined either themselves (Self condition) or an anonymous undergraduate woman (Other condition) in the situations and classified each as high or low risk. Participants also completed the Sexual Experiences Survey, Sociosexuality Scale, and Rape Myth Acceptance Scale. Participants’ risk judgments were modeled using two-level, logistic regression, which provided participant-specific estimates of sensitivity and threshold parameters. Women in the Other condition, relative to the Self condition, showed lower thresholds for judging situations as risky and greater sensitivity to risk-relevant information when judging risk. Women higher in sociosexuality showed higher thresholds and reduced sensitivity to both risk and popularity impact information when judging risk, while women higher in rape myth acceptance were more sensitive to popularity impact information when judging risk. These findings suggest that self–other differences in sexual victimization risk judgments are due to differences in both sensitivity and threshold. Sexual assault prevention interventions for college women may be improved by addressing these cognitive processes.

scholarly journals A Critique of Carceral Feminist Arguments on Rape Myths and Sexual Scripts

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Gurnham
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Rape Myths ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Sexual Scripts ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Sexual Script ◽  
Feminist Scholarship ◽  
The Real ◽  
Myth Acceptance

Given the seriousness for both women and men of misunderstanding or miscategorising sexual victimization and coercion, scholarly engagement with this topic must be self-critical and careful about its methods and conclusions. This article seeks to test the plausibility and justifiability of some key claims made within feminist scholarship as regards the implications of the traditional sexual script and the prevalence and impact of the “real rape” myth. The criticisms offered below with respect to these claims identify three problems: (a) that evidence that would challenge carceral feminists’ framing of the traditional sexual script as essentially a blueprint for rape is either marginalized or excluded from consideration altogether; (b) that within that framing the scripted roles of the coercive male and the passive female who is victimized have been allowed to solidify into immovable and immutable stereotypes; (c) that studies purporting to show that rape myth acceptance is highly prevalent and influential on popular attitudes are flawed in ways hitherto not fully acknowledged or explored.

Sexual Attitudes, Perceptions of Attractiveness, and Level of Coercion Affect Undergraduate Men’s Judgments of Women’s Responses to Sexual and Nonsexual Social Situations

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626051990029
Author(s):  
Erica E. Nason ◽  
Elizabeth A. Yeater ◽  
Tim Hoyt
Keyword(s):  
Individual Difference ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Social Situations ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Victimization Risk ◽  
Rape Empathy ◽  
Perceived Attractiveness ◽  
Myth Acceptance

The aims of this study were to (a) evaluate undergraduate men’s ( N = 108) judgments of the effectiveness of women’s responses to increasingly coercive sexual victimization risk and nonsexual social situations and (b) examine whether individual difference factors (e.g., perceptions of attractiveness, rape empathy) influenced these judgments. As part of a larger study, undergraduate women were video recorded responding to a series of vignettes depicting increasingly coercive sexual and nonsexual social situations. Undergraduate men then rated the effectiveness of these responses in either decreasing risk for sexual victimization (for the sexual victimization risk situations) or increasing the likelihood of achieving a social goal (for the nonsexual social situations), as well as each woman’s physical attractiveness. Multilevel modeling results revealed that both situational-level (i.e., level of coercion) and individual-level factors (i.e., rape empathy, perceived attractiveness of the women, and rape myth acceptance) were associated with men’s judgments of the effectiveness of women’s responses in sexually risky situations. Specifically, responses were rated as less effective in decreasing victimization risk as the level of coercion increased, and men who reported lower rape empathy, lower perceived attractiveness of the woman, and higher rape myth acceptance judged women’s responses as less effective than men who reported higher rape empathy, higher perceived attractiveness, and lower rape myth acceptance. Attractiveness was the only significant predictor of men’s judgments of women’s responses to nonsexual situations, with more attractive women being perceived as more effective. The findings of the current study highlight the importance of understanding the interaction between individual difference variables and situational features in understanding men’s judgments of women’s responses.

Responding to Disclosure of Sexual Assault: The Potential Impact of Victimization History and Rape Myth Acceptance

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626051989842
Author(s):  
Hanna M. Grandgenett ◽  
Anne L. Steel ◽  
Rebecca L. Brock ◽  
David DiLillo
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Sexual Assault Survivors ◽  
Victimization Experience ◽  
Victimization History ◽  
Myth Acceptance

Victims of sexual assault often disclose their victimization experiences to friends and family members in the hope of gaining support. However, a number of factors may influence the manner in which these confidants respond to the disclosure (e.g., severity of the victim’s assault). The purpose of this study was to examine the role of two unique factors—the disclosure recipient’s sexual victimization history and endorsement of rape myths—in predicting responses to disclosure. Participants were 114 undergraduate students who indicated that a close friend or family member had previously disclosed a sexual victimization experience to them. The participants’ responses to that disclosure, personal sexual victimization history, and rape myth attitudes were assessed via a self-report. Results indicated that a history of victimization predicted increased emotionally supportive responses to disclosure. Lower rape myth acceptance predicted increased supportive responses (i.e., emotionally supporting the victim and aiding the victim) and decreased unsupportive responses (i.e., treating the victim differently after the abuse, distracting the victim from the abuse, and blaming the victim). These results have implications for prevention efforts and those working with sexual assault survivors.

Tipping the Scales: Effects of Gender, Rape Myth Acceptance, and Anti-Fat Attitudes on Judgments of Sexual Coercion Scenarios

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051987297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra M. Zidenberg ◽  
Brandon Sparks ◽  
Leigh Harkins ◽  
Sara K. Lidstone
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Sexual Coercion ◽  
Rape Myth Acceptance ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Overweight Women ◽  
Mitigating Factors ◽  
Mock Jury ◽  
Prejudicial Attitudes ◽  
Myth Acceptance

A damaging belief exists that to become a victim of sexual violence, victims must be deemed sexually desirable. As a result, sexual violations where the victims are individuals whom society may deem as less attractive—such as overweight women—may elicit less empathy for the victim or minimize the likelihood they are believed. Yet, there is some evidence that overweight women actually report higher rates of sexual violence than women of other weight categories. Although there has been some research implicating weight biases in sexual assault cases, this has not been extended to cases of sexual coercion despite their growing share of police reports. A sample of 168 participants were recruited from Canada via social media ( n = 82) and through a midsized university in Ontario, Canada ( n = 86). Using a mock jury paradigm, participants responded to a vignette depicting the sexual coercion of a thin or overweight woman. Participants reported their opinions on the sexual coercion scenario, and prejudicial attitudes, using two standardized scales. Men reported greater rape myth acceptance, anti-fat attitudes, and victim responsibility and endorsed significantly more perpetrator mitigating factors and expressed more negative affect toward the victim. Participants in the overweight condition also expressed greater perpetrator sympathy, greater perpetrator mitigation, and less negative affect toward the perpetrator. These results suggest that overweight women may face additional barriers when reporting their experiences of sexual coercion, particularly to men.

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