Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Master’s Theses and Projects College of Graduate Studies 2019 Traditional Gender Roles: The Culture of Toxic Masculinity and the Effect on Male Rape Victims Michael Nelson Bridgewater State University Follow this and additional works at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/theses Part of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, and the Other Legal Studies Commons Recommended Citation Nelson, Michael. (2019). Traditional Gender Roles: The Culture of Toxic Masculinity and the Effect on Male Rape Victims. In BSU Master’s Theses and Projects. Item 71. Available at https://vc.bridgew.edu/theses/71 Copyright © 2019 Michael Nelson This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Nelson i Traditional Gender Roles: The Culture of Toxic Masculinity and the Effect on Male Rape Victims A Thesis Presented By: Michael Nelson DATE: Print :_________________________________________________________ Chair, Dr. Jennifer Hartsfield Date Signature:_________________________________________________________ Chair, Dr. Jennifer Hartsfield Date Signature:_________________________________________________________ Member, Dr. Jo-Ann Della Giustina Date Signature:_________________________________________________________ Member, Dr. Richard Wright Date Nelson ii Traditional Gender Roles: The Culture of Toxic Masculinity and the Effect on Male Rape Victims By: Michael Nelson Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Hartsfield Nelson iii Copyright © 2019 Master’s Thesis in Criminal Justice by Michael Nelson All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the author or publisher. Published by Bridgewater State University www.bridgew.edu Nelson iv List of Tables and Figures Table 1: Number of Rape/Sexual Assaults by Sex, 2012-2016 ........................................................ 3 Table 2: ........................................................................................................................................... 21 2010-2012 The National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Survey (Sexual Violence Results) .. 21 Table 3: ........................................................................................................................................... 22 2010-2012 The National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Survey (Sexual Violence Results: Ethnicity) ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Table 4: ........................................................................................................................................... 23 2010-2012 The National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Survey (Sexual Violence Results: Perpetrator Information) ............................................................................................................... 23 Table 5: ........................................................................................................................................... 25 2010-2012 The National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Survey (Stalking Results: Ethnicity) ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 Table 6: ........................................................................................................................................... 25 2010-2012 The National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Survey (Stalking Results: Tactics) .. 25 Table 7: ........................................................................................................................................... 26 2010-2012 The National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Survey (Stalking Results: Perpetrator Information) ............................................................................................................... 26 Table 8: Vignettes Frequencies ...................................................................................................... 65 Table 9: Traits of Masculinity, Femininity, and Androgyny ........................................................... 73 Table 10: Demographic Frequencies ............................................................................................. 75 Table 11: Vignettes Mean and Standard Deviation ....................................................................... 76 Table 12: Frequency Table Describe the Vignette ......................................................................... 78 Table 13: Frequency Table Victim Response ................................................................................. 79 Table 14: Personal Sexual Assault Victimization Frequencies ....................................................... 84 Table 15: Straight Male Victimization Frequencies ....................................................................... 85 Nelson v Table of Contents The Culture of Toxic Masculinity and the Effect on Male Rape Victims ........................................... i Traditional Gender Roles: ................................................................................................................ ii The Culture of Toxic Masculinity and the Effect on Male Rape Victims .......................................... ii Copyright ......................................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables and Figures ................................................................................................................ iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. v Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 5 Definitions .................................................................................................................................... 6 Training/ Treatment Programs .................................................................................................... 9 Trauma and Sexual Assault ........................................................................................................ 11 Intoxication ................................................................................................................................ 17 National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Study .................................................................. 20 What myths exist? ..................................................................................................................... 27 Gender Roles .............................................................................................................................. 31 Rape Myths ................................................................................................................................ 34 Toxic Masculinity ....................................................................................................................... 37 Cases Publicized in the Media .................................................................................................... 48 What is Missing? ........................................................................................................................ 52 Research Question and Hypotheses .......................................................................................... 55 Chapter 3: Methods ....................................................................................................................... 57 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 59 Vignettes .................................................................................................................................... 60 Form A Vignettes ................................................................................................................... 62 Form B Vignettes .................................................................................................................... 63 Form C Vignettes .................................................................................................................... 64 Nelson vi Survey ........................................................................................................................................ 68 Masculinity-Femininity Scale ..................................................................................................... 69 Chapter 4: Results .......................................................................................................................... 74 H1: Higher levels of masculinity decrease the likelihood of recognizing male sexual assault .. 76 H2: Intoxication level increases the chances of recognizing sexual assault .............................. 77 H3: Gender of the perpetrator will influence recognition of sexual assault ............................