Rape myths are pervasive and play a major role in the perpetuation and substantiation of sexual violence against women. This study sought to examine if rape myths could affect criminal case outcomes. An overview of rape myths and their foundations in feminist theories was presented. Four major rape myths (husbands cannot rape their wives, women enjoy rape, women ask to be raped, and women lie about rape) were operationalized into victim and case characteristics and subsequently assessed to determine if there is a relationship between the variables and criminal case outcomes (suspect arrest and suspect conviction). A sample (n = 463) of cases that were gathered from two jurisdictions in a north-eastern U.S. state were analysed. Results indicate that victim participation, consent defence, and other crimes being present in the initial police report were the strongest predictors of suspect arrest and suspect conviction. Weapon use was a strong predictor of suspect arrest and substance use was a strong predictor of suspect conviction.

This master’s thesis addresses how strategic development takes shape, when ideas connected to an organization’s historical heritage meet contemporary expectations of organizational development. The Church of Sweden Diaconia sets the example and in a qualitative case study this meeting has been examined. With new institutional theory as starting point the interpretation is made that the meeting between tradition and develop­ment can be under­stood as a meeting between a value based and a scientifically based logic. From the con­tradicting logics, the deacon and the social worker appear as institu­tional myths and as a double work identity. To maintain legitimacy, both logics need to be encom­passed. I introduce the idea of a space for intentional reflection, open for negotiation between the identities.

Sexual assault on college campuses is a pervasive issue that continues to affect women from a variety of backgrounds. Unfortunately, the narratives of women of color, especially black women are often marginalized even though data shows that they tend to be more susceptible to sexual assault. Using survey questions concerning traditional gender roles, and situations of sexual assault (while considering race and gender), this study will measure the attitudes of 300 college-aged individuals. Data will be analyzed using an ANOVA test to study the combined effects that race and gender may have on the respondents’ perception of victims. Historically, African American/black women have faced unique stereotypes about their sexuality that dehumanizes and normalizes sexual aggression towards them. This study aims to explore perceptions about sexual assault as it relates to college-age black women and expand the scope of research currently being done on victimization.

Although rape is prevalent in the United States, conviction rates for perpetrators are low. Before developing a solution for low conviction rates in rape cases, researchers must examine factors that influence juror decisions in rape trials. The current study investigated the influence of complainant substance use and juror education about rape myths and sexual consent laws. Mock jurors were randomly assigned to one of twelve conditions and after reading the rape trial summary were asked to rate defendant guilt and complainant and defendant blameworthiness and credibility. Mock jurors in the education condition rated the defendant as significantly guiltier and more to blame for the sexual assault than did mock jurors in the no education condition.

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Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the human capacity of modifying established myth in the light of new circumstances. It focuses on the changing status of myth and mythical cosmologies in Western culture as advances in telematics and techno-culture has led to the abundant proliferation of mythic content in modern society. The rise of scientific, secular and rational tendencies in the Occident has resulted in the demystification and negation of some myths and the cultural realities they once supported. Mythical symbols, however, do exhibit a certain degree of independence from their original set ontologies, growing and transforming continuously within contemporary culture as they are communicated to all social spheres. A particular focus is placed on the demystification of myth and its ability to be appropriated within other discourses, most notably fiction. As such, myth tends to exhibit certain migratory and conservational qualities that this study investigates. This serves as background for this thesis that is primarily located within the broader theoretical argument of myth as a system of world-representation in society, the main point of discussion is the re-appropriation of myth within the narrower field of visual signification, specifically the comics medium, as exemplified in the works of Neil Gaiman and Conrad Botes, as well as in my own work. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek die menslike kapasiteit om gevestigde mites te wysig in die lig van nuwe omstandighede. Dit fokus op die veranderlike status van mites en mitiese kosmologieë in die Westerse kultuur, aangesien vooruitgang in die telematiek en tegnokultuur gelei het tot ’n ryk proliferasie van mitiese inhoud in die moderne samelewing. Die opkoms van wetenskaplike, sekulêre en rasionele tendense in die Weste het die demistifikasie en negasie van sommige mites en kulturele realiteite wat hulle eens ondersteun het, tot gevolg gehad. Mitiese simbole vertoon egter ’n sekere graad van onafhanklikheid van hul oorspronklike vasgestelde ontologieë en groei wild binne die kontemporêre kultuur, aangesien hulle deurlopend gekommunikeer word aan verskillende sosiale sfere. Daar word veral gefokus op die demistifikasie van die mite en sy vermoë om geapproprieer te word binne ander diskoerse, veral in fiksie. As sodanig is mites geneig tot migrasie en die vertoon van konserverende kwaliteite, soos ondersoek in hierdie studie. Alhoewel die tesis eerstens gelokaliseer is binne die breër teoretiese argumentasie rondom mite as ’n sisteem van wêreldrepresentasie in die samelewing, is die kern van diskussie die re-appropriasie van die mite binne die smaller veld van visuele betekenisgewing, spesifiek in strippe as medium, soos uitgelig in die werke van Neil Gaiman en Conrad Botes, asook in my eie werk.