With sexual violence prevention programs gaining traction in secondary schools, students' attitudes toward sexual violence have begun to be measured more frequently. While these attitudes are measured as outcomes of prevention programs, students' preexisting attitudes toward sexual violence shape how prevention programs are received by the…

Objective: This study examined if empathy was a significant moderator of several empirically established risk factors for sexual violence perpetration among college men. Participants: Data are from 544 college men who participated in a longitudinal study from 2008 to 2011 at a large, public university. Methods: Participants completed a self-report…

This study examined whether attitudes based on labels and counselor demographics predicted empathy and rape myth acceptance in counselors. A difference in attitudes based on the labels of either "prostitute" or "sex trafficking" was found. Attitudes based on labels and counselor demographics additionally predicted scores of…

This paper examined the effect of sexualized portrayals of female artists in music videos on college students' perceptions of date rape. 132 college students were randomly assigned to view a music video that contained either high or low levels of sexuality and sexual objectification and were then asked to rate the guilt of the male in a scenario…

The purpose of this study was to examine general empathy, general victim empathy and own victim empathy in adolescent sexual offenders. Sixteen adolescent sexual offenders completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), the Personal Reaction Inventory, a "general sexual abuse victim" form of the Victim Empathy Distortions Scale…

This study extends past research by examining predictors of different types of sexual assault perpetration in a community sample. Computer-assisted self-interviews were conducted with a representative sample of 163 men in one large urban community. As hypothesized, many variables that are significant predictors of sexual assault perpetration 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…

Videotaped vignettes of two 35-year old women and two 20-year old women who portrayed problems about the fear of rape, existential anxiety, choice of a college major in social work, or choice of a college major in engineering were shown to 88 male/female counselors. Results indicated that the two personal-social problems were rated as more serious…

Fifty-four male undergraduates participated in a rape prevention education program in which the experimental group listened to an audiotape of a man versus a woman describing the experience of being raped. Two weeks later, the students who heard the female tape reported more likelihood to engage in rape-supportive behaviors but no difference in…

Female and male undergraduates judged impact of the rape experience on victims' psychological adjustment and indicated their likely counseling goals. Results are discussed in terms of popular assumptions about rape victims and sex differences in identification with and empathy for female rape victims. Implications for training are noted. (Author)

Examined whether having had a friend or family member experience rape heightens empathy for rape victims. Subjects who knew a rape victim reported experiencing more empathy for a patient presented on videotape than did subjects not knowing a rape victim. This empathy extended to all victims of trauma. (RJM)

Assessed impact of existing rape awareness and prevention program on attitudes and empathy of male and female college students. Found that men were less empathic and sensitive in their attitudes toward rape than were women, and the program was unsuccessful in reducing the differences. (Author/NB)

Examines the impact of an all-male rape prevention program on fraternity men. After participating in "The Men's Program," fraternity men were asked if the program impacted their attitude or behavior and what led to that change. Results point to the importance of establishing empathy with rape survivors to increase men's awareness and sensitivity…

One explanation for male sexual aggression implicates certain adverse consequences of male gender socialization. Two studies tested the hypothesis that sexually aggressive men would be more gender stereotyped and would manifest lower capacities for empathy and intimacy. Results were mostly supportive of the hypothesis. (JBJ)

Investigated the effects of reading one of four priming stimuli stories (control, consenting sex, rape, or family) on males' evaluations of, and emotional reactions to, two videotaped date-rape scenarios. Results supported the concepts of a macho personality and revealed interactive effects for both the rape and family prime. (RJM)