NCJ Number
209234
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 16 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2001 Pages: 1103-1119
Date Published
November 2001
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study examined attitudes towards rape victims among a sample of Australian adolescents.
Abstract
Although rape is one of the most prevalent forms of crime, particularly among high school and college aged populations, there has been a paucity of Australian research regarding rape attitudes and myths among this population. The current study probed student attitudes toward rape and sexual assault of women, focusing on their attitudes toward women, toward rape victims, and toward sex-role orientation. Participants were 608 students from secondary schools and colleges who voluntarily completed a set of questionnaires, including the Attitudes Toward Rape Victims Scale, the Attitudes Toward Women Scale, and three sexual coercion vignettes describing dating scenarios. Results of multivariate analyses indicated that a significant proportion of students held unfavorable attitudes toward rape victims in terms of attributing blame for the attack on victims themselves. Attitudes toward rape victims were found to be correlated with conservative and traditional beliefs about the role of women in society. Lower levels of education and being male were also correlates of unfavorable attitudes toward rape victims. The findings suggest that strategies designed to change rape myths should be targeted at younger populations. Tables, references