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)

While the issue of rape evokes strong responses, confusion seems to occur not when a blitz or stranger rape occurs, but when an acquaintance or date rape occurs. This study assessed acquaintance rape scripts given a preset scenario. Subjects included female college students (N=32) and male college students (N=19). Subjects were given a scenario…

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)

The prevalence of rape points to a need for effective prevention strategies. Ultimately, however, preventing rape necessitates changing men's attitudes and behavior. This study investigated the effects of a lecture aimed at changing the attitudes of men. Also investigated were the effects of lecturer sex (male, female, or male-female team or no…

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…

Society does not view rape seriously. Few rape crimes are successfully prosecuted. Rape results in permanent alteration of the victim's life. Besides street rape there is no consensus on the definition of rape. This study attempts to gather people's perceptions of rape. Subjects (N=96) were approached randomly and accepted if they fit into desired…

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)

This study investigated the nature of sex differences among university students' attitudes toward rape. Results showed males were quite different from females in their attitudes and tended to support many myths regarding rape. Implications of the results concerning the nature and prevention of rape on college campuses are discussed. (Author)

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)

Public reactions to rape affect victims in a variety of ways and have implications for psychological services and legal adjudication of rape defendants. To investigate reactions to rape, 144 undergraduates were randomly assigned to a 2 (male versus female subjects) x 2 (victim with versus without rape history) x 3 (high versus medium versus low…

While it has been asserted that rape has increased in frequency over the past generation, part of this increase may be due to a greater willingness to report rape to the authorities. A study was conducted to examine the frequency of rape and to describe the characteristics of rape victims. A random questionnaire survey of 4,340 adults in five…