NCJ Number
117095
Journal
Sociological Focus Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: (October 1988) Pages: 270-292
Date Published
1988
Length
22 pages
Annotation
The Acceptance of the Rape Myth Scale, a 24-item questionnaire, was developed and administered to 198 students at a midwestern university in 1985.
Abstract
Of subjects, 37 percent knew someone who had been raped; and the vast majority indicated a knowledge about the subject of rape. Overall, subjects rejected the more obvious rape myths, particularly those dealing with victim characteristics and the seriousness of the crime. However, many of these students indicated a belief in more subtle myths regarding the causes of rape, particularly the woman's causal role. Further, many major themes in the feminist literature (e.g., rape as a crime of violence rather than sex, the role of social structural factors in causing and perpetuating rape) had not been accepted by this sample of students. Compared to men, women were more likely to reject all the rape myths, with gender differences reaching significance for 12 of the 24 items, particularly those related to the causes of rape and the victim's role in precipitating it. Results suggest that men continue to perceive rape in mythical terms, while women are less inclined to do so. 7 footnotes, 3 tables, and 66 references. (Author abstract modified)