NCJ Number
181734
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2000 Pages: 238-246
Date Published
March 2000
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study tested the hypothesis that women's hostility toward other women (HTW) is positively related to the rape causal beliefs of female precipitation of rape, male sexuality, male pathology, and victim blaming in sexual harassment.
Abstract
Participants were 155 college women who completed a questionnaire that assessed hostility toward women; the beliefs that rape is caused by victim precipitation, male sexual needs, and male pathology; and victim-blaming sexual harassment beliefs. HTW was measured by the use of a modified version of Check, Malamuth, Elias, and Barton's (1985) original HTW Scale. Other study instruments were the Perceived Causes of Rape Scale, the Sexual Harassment Myth Scale, and the State-Trait Anger Inventory. The latter instrument was used as a control measure to assess the relations between HTW and the other measures, controlling for general hostility. The findings show that HTW was positively associated with beliefs in victim precipitation myths in the areas of both rape and sexual harassment, as well as with the male pathology scale. When the level of general hostility was controlled, all correlations remained statistically significant. The author suggests that a foundation of self-worth and personal empowerment, as well as the experience of competence without the need to compete with other women may prevent women's devaluation of other women. Thus, the kinds of experiences that build young women's sense of self-worth may insulate women from dislike of their own gender group and nurture support of other women. The devaluation of women in the culture at large is likely a contributing factor in HTW. 2 tables and 15 references