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"Men Cannot Be Raped": Correlates of Male Rape Myth Acceptance
1East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
|December 18, 2018
Summary
Rape myths affect male victims similarly to female victims. Factors like being male, older, and holding traditional gender beliefs increase adherence to these harmful myths about sexual assault.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Criminology
Background:
- Research on male victims of sexual assault and rape myth adherence is limited.
- Rape myths perpetuate sexual violence by focusing on victim behavior and minimizing harm.
- Understanding factors influencing male rape myth acceptance is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine demographic, experiential, and belief system predictors of rape myth adherence among male victims.
- To investigate the relationship between personal experiences with sexual assault and rape myth acceptance.
- To determine if attitudes toward gender roles and sexuality influence male rape myth adherence.
Main Methods:
- Online survey administered to 1,220 adults in the United States via Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk).
- Hierarchical regression analysis used to assess predictors of rape myth adherence.
- Measurement of demographics, personal experiences with rape, and various attitudinal scales.
Main Results:
- Rape myth acceptance was positively associated with being male, older, and believing males falsely report rapes.
- Adherence to female rape myths, negative attitudes toward homosexuals, and acceptance of traditional gender roles predicted male rape myth adherence.
- A mean of 4.1 rape myths were endorsed by participants (range 0-21).
Conclusions:
- Rape myths function similarly for male and female victims of sexual assault.
- Interventions must acknowledge male victimization and challenge underlying belief systems that support rape myths.
- Future research and programming should address the unique aspects of male sexual victimization and associated myths.
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