TY - JOUR PY - 2024// TI - Development of the Vietnamese rape myths acceptance scales: a web-based survey of young adults JO - Archives of sexual behavior A1 - Bergenfeld, Irina A1 - Anderson, Katherine M. A1 - Trang, Quach Thu A1 - Cheong, Yuk Fai A1 - Minh, Tran Hung A1 - Hoover, Alison T. A1 - Yount, Kathryn M. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - Rape myths-false but widely held beliefs that serve to deny and justify sexual aggression-present a major barrier to reporting and prevention of sexual violence in Vietnam and globally. Based on a parent study aimed at reducing sexual violence at two universities in Hanoi, we developed and assessed a contextualized measure of rape myths among young people in Vietnam. Items from previously validated rape myth acceptance (RMA) scales and data from qualitative research informed the development of 50 items, which were administered to Vietnamese 18-24-year-olds (n = 2,756 total, n = 1,798 cisgender women) via an anonymous link in February 2021. We used factor analysis to explore and test factor structure and multi-group factor analysis to assess measurement equivalence across gender. We calculated item-level discrimination and difficulty parameters and visualized information curves using item response theory analysis, informing the development of a short form. Four hypothesized subconstructs identified in the qualitative data emerged as factors: (1) "He didn't mean to"; (2) "She asked for it"; (3) "It wasn't really rape"; and (4) "Rape is a deviant event." A fifth factor, "She didn't protect herself," included four items from formative data. Confirming formative findings and prior literature, cisgender women had lower RMA than cisgender men, particularly on items related to victim-blaming. The Vietnamese Rape Myths Acceptance Scales were internally consistent and equivalent between cisgender men and women, capturing elements specific to the Vietnamese context and providing a tool for campus climate surveys and evaluations of sexual violence prevention programs.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0004-0002 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-02893-7 ID - ref1 ER -