Women’s sexual victimization is perceived as a one sided problem that emphasizes women’s choices and neglect men’s accountability. Rape myths support an explanation of rape that allows women to remain fearful of sexual victimization. This thesis questions whether contemporary websites regarding women’s safety reinforce rape myths. Components of rape myths include the idea that women’s safety is her responsibility alone, echo traditional gender role expectations, perpetuate dependence on others and security products, and suggest that women’s fear of victimization is normal. A content analysis of thirteen websites regarding women’s safety is the subject of this study. Findings suggest that websites regarding women’s safety are perpetuating components of rape myths through safety suggestions. Key / UOIT

Text in Afrikaans / Verkragting, 'n toenemende misdaad, word deur verskeie mites omring. Die doel van die navorsing was om verkragtingsmites te beskryf en oak om vas te stel of daar 'n verskil tussen mans en vroue bestaan betreffende die aanvaarding van die verkragtingsmites. 'n Verkennende studie van bestaande literatuur het aan die lig gebring dat die gemeenskap, polisie, hofamptenare, mediese personeel en die media bepaalde wanvoorstellings aangaande verkragting het. Om die bestaan van verkragtingsmites te bewys, is 'n kwantitatiewe studie uitgevoer wat 136 mans en 165 vroue se persepsies oar verkragtingsmites getoets het. Statisties-beduidende verskille tussen die geslagte is aangeteken. Die resultate van die navorsing dui daarop dat mans en vroue die mite aanvaar dat verkragting 'n seksuele eerder as 'n geweldsmisdaad is. Verder blyk dit duidelik dat vroue meer geneig is om verkragtingsmites te aanvaar wat hul slagoffervatbaarheid kan verhoog. / Rape, an increasing crime is surrounded by various myths. The aim of this research was to describe these myths and also to establish whether or not men and women differ with regard to the acceptance thereof. An exploratory study revealed that society, the police, court officials, medical staff and the media have certain misconceptions with regard to rape. To prove the existence of these myths a quantitative study with 136 males and 165 females was undertaken during which their perceptions pertaining to rape myths were tested. Statistically significant differences were noted. Research results indicated that men and women accept the myth that rape is a sexual rather than a violent crime. It furthermore became evident that women are more inclined to accept rape myths which in tum increase their victim vulnerability. / Sociology / M.A. (Criminology)

abstract: While there is a good amount of research focused on sex offenders as a whole, only a limited number of studies examine variations within these offenders, how people view the variations, and why their opinions may differ. This study focuses on the interconnections among gender norms, rape myth acceptance, and the perception of sex offenders by administering an online student survey. The survey measured rape myth acceptance and adherence to traditional gender roles to see how they affected perceptions of sex offenders. Perceptions were measured using vignettes that were varied by gender and the situation described. Results showed that higher rape myth acceptance would decrease the blameworthiness of the offender, that the offender was seen as more blameworthy when the offender was a male, and that women tended to see the offender as more blameworthy than men did. The type of sexual situation did not have an impact on blameworthiness, nor did adherence to gender roles. The findings support past research that suggests that rape myth acceptance can impact people’s opinions about offenders in sexual situations and specifically that these opinions differ depending on the gender of the offender. With some offenders being viewed as more blameworthy than others, it is necessary to examine sex offense laws to see how they may disproportionately affect some offenders and implement harsher punishments than the public may deem necessary. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Criminology and Criminal Justice 2018

This paper is a report on the condition of rape myth acceptance and rape supportive attitudes among adolescent boys and girls. Students in secondary schools are at high risk for becoming victims of not only sexual violence, but also of secondary victimization at the reaction of peers and professionals. The paper discusses common risk factors for rape myth acceptance, along with suggestions for counselors practicing in a secondary school setting. / text

Text in Afrikaans / Verkragting, 'n toenemende misdaad, word deur verskeie mites omring. Die doel van die navorsing was om verkragtingsmites te beskryf en oak om vas te stel of daar 'n verskil tussen mans en vroue bestaan betreffende die aanvaarding van die verkragtingsmites. 'n Verkennende studie van bestaande literatuur het aan die lig gebring dat die gemeenskap, polisie, hofamptenare, mediese personeel en die media bepaalde wanvoorstellings aangaande verkragting het. Om die bestaan van verkragtingsmites te bewys, is 'n kwantitatiewe studie uitgevoer wat 136 mans en 165 vroue se persepsies oar verkragtingsmites getoets het. Statisties-beduidende verskille tussen die geslagte is aangeteken. Die resultate van die navorsing dui daarop dat mans en vroue die mite aanvaar dat verkragting 'n seksuele eerder as 'n geweldsmisdaad is. Verder blyk dit duidelik dat vroue meer geneig is om verkragtingsmites te aanvaar wat hul slagoffervatbaarheid kan verhoog. / Rape, an increasing crime is surrounded by various myths. The aim of this research was to describe these myths and also to establish whether or not men and women differ with regard to the acceptance thereof. An exploratory study revealed that society, the police, court officials, medical staff and the media have certain misconceptions with regard to rape. To prove the existence of these myths a quantitative study with 136 males and 165 females was undertaken during which their perceptions pertaining to rape myths were tested. Statistically significant differences were noted. Research results indicated that men and women accept the myth that rape is a sexual rather than a violent crime. It furthermore became evident that women are more inclined to accept rape myths which in tum increase their victim vulnerability. / Sociology / M.A. (Criminology)

This quasi-experimental study (N = 139) measured the effect of a reader response based instructional unit of the novel Speak on adolescents’ rape myth acceptance. Participants were eighth grade language arts students at a Title I middle school in a major metropolitan school district. Seven classes were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 4) or control (n = 3) condition. Two teachers participated in the study and both taught both treatment and control classes. The study lasted a period of five weeks. Participants were pretested using the Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (Burt, 1980) and a researcher created scale, the Adolescent Date Rape Scale (ADRMS). Analysis of pretests showed the ADRMS to be a reliable and valid measure of rape myth acceptance in adolescents. Factor analysis revealed it to have two major components: “She Wanted It” and “She Lied.” Pretests supported previous studies which found girls to have significantly lower initial levels of rape myth acceptance than boys (p < .001). A 2 (group) x 2 (instructor) x 2 (sex) ANCOVA using ADRMS pretest as a covariate and ADRMS posttest as a dependent variable found that treatment was effective in reducing rape myth acceptance (p < .001, ή2 = .15). Boys with high rape myth acceptance as demonstrated by pretest scores of 1 standard deviation above the mean on ADRMS did not have a backlash to treatment. Extended analysis revealed that participants had significantly lower scores posttest on Factor 1, “She Wanted It” (p < .001, ή2 = .27), while scores on Factor 2, “She Lied” were not significantly lower (p = .07). This may be because the content of the novel primarily deals with issues questioning whether the main characters assault was a rape rather than a false accusation. Attrition rates were low (N = 15) and attrition analysis showed that drop outs did not significantly alter the treatment or control groups. Implications for reader response instruction of young adult literature, for research on rape myth acceptance in secondary schools, and for statistical analysis of effect size using pretests as filters are discussed.

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