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The Effects of Acquaintance Versus Stranger Rape and Gender on Rape Myth Acceptance and Attitudes Toward Rape in College Students

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The Effects of Acquaintance Versus Stranger Rape and Gender on Rape Myth Acceptance and Attitudes Toward Rape in College Students Modern Psychological Studies Volume 14 Number 1 Article 7 2008 The effects of acquaintance versus stranger rape and gender on rape myth acceptance and attitudes toward rape in college students Shellie Patscheck Fort Lewis College Sharon Shears Fort Lewis College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps Part of the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Patscheck, Shellie and Shears, Sharon (2008) "The effects of acquaintance versus stranger rape and gender on rape myth acceptance and attitudes toward rape in college students," Modern Psychological Studies: Vol. 14 : No. 1 , Article 7. Available at: https://scholar.utc.edu/mps/vol14/iss1/7 This articles is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals, Magazines, and Newsletters at UTC Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Modern Psychological Studies by an authorized editor of UTC Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Effects of Acquaintance Shellie Patscheck versus Stranger Rape and Gender and Sharon Sears on Rape Myth Acceptance and Fort Lewis College Attitudes Toward Rape in College Students This original empirical experiment assessed effects of acquaintance versus stranger rape and gender on rape myth acceptance and attitudes toward rape in college students. Participants read hypothetical scenarios depicting acquaintance or stranger rape, and then completed modified versions of Burt's Rape Myth Acceptance Scale and Feild's Attitudes Toward Rape Scale. Based on previous research, we predicted that males would demonstrate more negative attitudes and would be more supportive of rape myth acceptance than females. In addition, given the relative lack of previous literature on this topic, we predicted that the two conditions for type of rape would be different, but we did not make specific directional hypotheses. Consistent with hypotheses, males were significantly more likely than females to support rape myths. However, no differences emerged for type of rape. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. Keywords: acquaintance rape, stranger rape, rape myth acceptance, attitudes toward rape, college students, gender differences Rape and sexual assault are among the most assault victims stated that the offender was a pervasive of all violent crimes. Approximately 1 in 6 boyfriend, girlfriend, other relative, a friend, or an women and 1 in 33 men in the United States may acquaintance (USDOJ, 2006). Despite the experience an attempted or completed rape in their prevalence of acquaintance rape, relatively few lifetimes, and these rates double for college students. studies, if any, have examined the effect of An estimated half of all rapes are never reported to acquaintance versus stranger rape on rape myth authorities, making these statistics underestimates acceptance and attitudes toward rape. Lonsway and (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2006; US Fitzgerald (1994) defined rape myths as "attitudes Department of Justice [USDOJ], 2006). and beliefs that are generally false but that are widely One commonly held myth is that most rapes and persistently held, and that serve to deny and occur in dark alleys by strangers. However, the justify male sexual aggression towards women." In majority of rapes are committed by acquaintances. more recent research, the definition has extended to In fact, the US Department of Justice reported that include perpetrators and victims of both genders. in 2005, approximately 7 in 10 rape or sexual Researchers have developed a number of scales to 57 measure attitudes toward rape and rape myth accepting of rape myths than their Caucasian peers. acceptance. One popular instrument is Feild's In addition, Jimenez and Abreu (2003) found that Attitudes Toward Rape Scale (1978) which Caucasians were less likely to accept rape myths measures attitudes and stereotypes about rape. than Latinos. The researchers proposed that cul Another popular measure is Burt's Rape Myth expectations of sex and masculinity varied among Acceptance Scale (1980) which was designed to these two ethnic groups. The results from these assess stereotyped, prejudicial, and false beliefs studies are helpful in identifying cultural factors that about rape, rape victims, and rapists. Subsequent may support rape myths. However, many ethnic researchers have expanded, shortened, and groups have not been included and many suggest otherwise modified these scales to meet individual that these results are not conclusive and can in no research requirements. way be generalized (Lonsway & Fitzgerald, 1994). Since the conception of these scales, researchers Experiential factors such as knowing a rape have studied the effects of demographic, survivor and awareness of rape both seem to predi experiential, and situational variables on attitudes a decrease in rape myth acceptance. However, th toward rape and rape myth acceptance. Of the studies using these factors are limited and difficult t numerous demographic variables studied, gender generalize (Lonsway & Fitzgerald, 1994). has been the most commonly researched, and the Situational factors such as alcohol, victim dress an only variable that has thus far shown a consistent reputation, prior sexual relationship between victim relationship with rape myth acceptance. Burt (1980) and perpetrator, length of time before a report, first showed that men tended to be more acceptant degree of resistance, and rape within marriage all of rape myths than women. Numerous empirical seem to increase victim blame and acceptance of studies have supported this finding (Jimenez & other rape myths (Feild, 1978). Abreu, 2003; Davies, Pollard & Archer, 2006; To date, few studies have examined the effects Davies & McCartney, 2003; Ashton, 1982; acquaintance versus stranger rape on attitudes Blumberg & Lester 1991). toward rape and rape myth acceptance. Given the Recently, more studies on rape myth acceptance widespread myths that rapes occur between have included sexual orientation as a demographic strangers, juxtaposed with the reality that rapes variable. Davis and McCartney (2003) found that occur between acquaintances, studying this factor heterosexual men endorsed more rape myths and an important contribution to the existing research blamed the victim more than heterosexual women or literature and practical reality in understanding and gay men. In addition, they found that gay men made preventing rape. the most pro-victim judgments overall. Researchers The aim of the present study was to examine th have also studied what happens when they switch effects of acquaintance versus stranger rape on stereotypical sex roles. For instance, when the victim attitudes toward rape and rape myth acceptance. is male or when the perpetrator is female. Davies, Given the relative lack of previous literature on this Pollard, and Archer (2006) found that male topic, we predicted that the two conditions would participants blamed the victim more when the be different, but we did not make specific directio perpetrator was of the gender he was attracted to. hypotheses. We also replicated previous research In addition, they found that male participants examining the effects of gender. Based on previo deemed female perpetrators more favorably than research we predicted that males would male perpetrators regardless of the victim's sexual demonstrate more negative attitudes and would be orientation. more supportive of rape myth acceptance than Another frequently researched demographic females. variable is ethnicity. However, the results have not been as consistent as with gender. In a study of college students, Giacopassi and Dull (1986) found that African American students tended to be more 58 Method college students' perceptions about rape." After providing informed consent, participants completed questionnaires regarding demographic information. Participants Participants were 36 students (21 female, 13 They then read one of the two randomly assigned male, 2 gender unknown) ages 17 to 35 (M= hypothetical scenarios describing either an acquaintance rape or stranger rape situation. Finally, 19.61, SD= 2.92) recruited from a lower division undergraduate psychology course at a small public they completed the adapted versions of the Rape Liberal Arts college. Approximately 72.3% of Myth Acceptance Scale and the Attitudes Toward participants self-identified as Caucasian, 11.1% as Rape Scale. Participants were not compensated. Hispanic, 5.6% as Native American, 5.6% as Multi- Racial, and 5.6% did not respond. Results Materials and Measures Demographic information. Participants In order to evaluate whether type of rape and completed a short questionnaire to gather gender influenced attitudes toward rape (ATRS) and demographic information such as gender, age, and rape myth acceptance (RMAS), we analyzed data ethnicity. with 2 x 2 ANOVAs (type of rape: stranger, Acquaintance versus stranger rape scenarios. acquaintance) x (gender: male, female) using SPSS Participants were randomly assigned to read one of for Windows. The two participants who did not two hypothetical scenarios describing either an indicate their gender were excluded from primary acquaintance rape or stranger rape situation analyses. Levene's tests for equality of variances (Appendix A). The two written scenarios were were met despite unequal sample sizes for the approximately the same length, and were similar to remaining males and females. We included partial if those developed by Foley et al. (1995), except that as indicators
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