The Identification of Dangerous Sexual Beliefs

1
The Identification of Dangerous Sexual Beliefs

• Ashley Ubelhor
• Jacquelyn Wesseler
• Hanover College

2
What is Sexual Assault?

• Forced sexual activities
• Lack of consent
• Coercion
• 1 in 4 women
• 1 in 10 men
• College-age women

3
Research Question

• Are certain sexual beliefs more dangerous (more
  likely to lead to sexual assault)?

4
Operationally Defining Dangerous Beliefs

• For men More likely to be held by those who
  report some likelihood of committing sexual
  assault than those who report no likelihood
• Behavioral intent to rape (Malamuth, 1991)
• For women More likely to be held by survivors
  than non-survivors of sexual assault

5
Previous Research

• Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (Burt, 1980)
• Multiple themes (Lonsway and Fitzgerald, 1994)
• Denial of existence
• Denial of seriousness
• Blaming the victim
• Aversiveness of rape (Hamilton and Yee, 1990)

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Method

• Participants
• 230 (79 male, 151 female)
• Average age
• Females 21.6
• Males 23.4
• Online survey

7
Surveys

• 29 items
• Established scales
• 3 beliefs victim blame, equating rape with sex,
  and machismo
• Men Intent to rape
• If you could be assured of not being caught or
  punished, how likely would you be to rape?
• force a woman to engage in sexual contact?
• Women Sexual assault experiences

8
Victim Blame
Cronbachs Alpha.74
t (72)3.95, p 9
Equating Rape with Sex
Cronbachs Alpha.77
t (72)3.41, p 10
Machismo
Cronbachs Alpha.75
t (72)3.40, p 11
Dangerous Beliefs for Women?

• Is there a relationship between sexual assault
  experience and beliefs?
• No, victims of sexual assault do not report
  different levels of RMA than non-victims.

12
Conclusions

• Are certain sexual beliefs more dangerous to
  hold?
• Acceptance of certain beliefs do show greater
  intentions.
• Cannot assume cause and effect
• Intention ? Belief ?
• Intention ? Belief ?

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Application

• Need for sexual assault prevention programs
  targeting men
• Mens Program
• Peer educators
• Empathy-based model

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• Questions?

15
Survey Items

• Victim Blame
• Many women have an unconscious wish to be raped,
  and may then unconsciously set up a situation in
  which they are likely to be attacked.
• Equating Rape with Sex
• Men rape for sexual pleasure.
• Raped women enjoy the sexual part of rape.

16
Survey Items

• Machismo
• No matter what people say, women really like men
  to dominate them.
• Sexual Experiences Survey
• Have you been in a situation in which a man used
  continual arguments and pressure to overwhelm you
  into having sexual intercourse when you didnt
  want to?

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Intent

• Yes 22 (28)
• No 56 (72)