Compares male and female rape reporting behavior using data from the National Crime and Victimization Survey for 897 rape victims. Data indicate that the situational characteristics of rape and factors that influence reporting a rape differ by sex. Women reported victimization more frequently than did men. (SLD)

Surveyed counselors-in-training regarding their acceptance of rape myths and their willingness to make blame-based attributions toward a male victim of rape. Results suggested male counselor trainees tended to endorse the greatest degree of acceptance of rape myths. Trainees of both sexes thought that a male rape victim who showed no resistance to…

Investigated the effects of aggressor's and victim's sex on judgments regarding sexual aggression on dates. College students read vignettes describing dating aggression, rating degree of disapproval of aggressors' behaviors from their own, the aggressor's, and the victim's viewpoint. The effect of participant viewpoint in rating aggressor behavior…

Sex differences in "rape stereotypes" were investigated. Males' subjective impressions of rape emphasized the aggressive rather than the sexual motive; females did not differentiate. The stereotype of a sexually motivated rape was well organized for females. No organization was found when an aggressive motive was assumed. (Author)

Undergraduate students (N=344) completed measures of violence in dating relationships. While 85 percent of respondents reported opposition to violence in romantic relationships, 25 percent of the women and 7 percent of the men reported experiences of violence in dating relationships. Twenty-two percent of women reported being involved in…

College students (n=387) completed the "attitudes toward rape" questionnaire and the rape empathy scale. Analysis found that prior experience as a rape survivor and gender were significantly related to rape intolerant attitudes and empathy toward rape survivors. Rape tolerant attitudes and lower levels of empathy were more commonly found…

Students (N=271) were subjects in an experiment on the effects of exposure to films that portray sexual violence as having positive consequences. Results indicated that exposure to the films portraying violent sexuality increased male subjects' acceptance of interpersonal violence against women. Females exhibited tendencies in the opposite…

In two experiments, subjects made attributions after reading a description of a rape. Responsibility was more strongly attributed to the victim's character for unrespectable victims, and to chance for respectable victims. Males blamed the victim's character more than females; females emphasized the role of chance more than males. (Author/GC)

Examines the effects of race (black or white) of assailant and victim of subjects on perceptions of date rape. Results indicated that date rape encounters were perceived as less serious if the victim was black, and that females were more likely to define the forced sexual encounter as a crime and to be in favor of prosecuting the perpetrator. (JPS)

Surveyed 2000 Texas residents about legislation for marital rape. Results revealed 35 percent of 1300 respondents favored a law in which a wife could accuse her husband of rape. Subsequent analysis indicated persons who were female, young, single, or educated were most likely to favor this law. (Author/RC)

Investigated the relationship of sex, gender role attitudes, and sexual orientation to perceptions of rape. College students responded to scenarios depicting the rape of heterosexual and homosexual males and females. Men assigned more blame to victims (particularly male victims) than did women. Traditional gender role attitudes positively related…

Attitudes toward rape were examined by assessing the reactions of 95 male and female college students to scenarios about couples in varying degrees of acquaintanceship. Males had more rape-supportive beliefs. It appears that college students view date rape as an extension of traditional male-female sexual interaction. (DM)

Exposed subjects to sadomasochistic or nonviolent sexual passages, then to rape portrayal. Responses to rape showed interaction between gender and previous exposure. Gender differences were found in rape perception. Subjects believed that a high percentage of men would rape if not punished and that a high percentage of women would enjoy…

Examined frequency/impact of 10 potentially traumatic events among 1,000 adults. Tragic death occurred most often, sexual assault yielded highest rate of posttraumatic stress disorder, and motor vehicle crash presented most adverse combination of frequency and impact. Lifetime exposure was higher among whites and men than among African Americans…

Investigated the dimensions of university students' (n=96) attitudes toward date and acquaintance rape. Examined the effects of a program designed to change those attitudes. Found college men had substantially greater tendencies to blame the victim for date and acquaintance rape than did women. (Author/ABL)