Citation

Morry MM, Winkler E. Can. J. Behav. Sci. 2001; 33(3): 188-192.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Canadian Psychological Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1037/h0087140

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

46 male and 108 female students' (aged 18-33 yrs) attitudes regarding the acceptance and expectation of sexual assault were examined. Participants also completed M. Burt's (1980) Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA) Scale. It is noted that acceptance of sexual aggression can lead to the exoneration of the perpetrator, whereas expectations of sexual aggression can lead to victim blaming. A feminist perspective of rape, with a focus on sexual socialization, indicates that rape myth beliefs deny or justify male sexual aggression against women. Therefore, it was predicted and found that high RMA participants expected and accepted more sexual assault than low RMA participants. Sexual assault was also expected more often than it was accepted, suggesting that these judgments are made separately. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords

Expectations; Myths; Rape; Sex Offenses; Student Attitudes