Sexual assault and rape are terrifying violent crimes and represent a serious problem in society. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) approximately 1 in 5 (18.3%) women and 1 in 71 men (1.4%) reported experiencing rape at some time in their lives. Of these victims 37.4% of female rape victims were first raped between ages 18-24. Among female rape victims, 51% of the perpetrators were intimate partners, 12.5% were family member’s, 40.8% were acquaintances and only 13.8% were strangers. In spite of increased public awareness and education rape and sexual assault continue to be under reported to the police and few perpetrators are successfully prosecuted. (Bruggen,). There is social stigma associated
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The endorsement of rape myths has been found to minimize or rationalize sexual violence and minimize or absolve responsibility of the perpetrator and is the basis of victim blaming. Edwards Rape myths exist on an individual level and in institutional and society levels. These myths are frequently endorsed by the media, legal system, heath care institutions and religious institutions. Rape myths were first identified and studied in the 1970s. Since that time there has been a large amount of research across multiple disciplines. It has been found that rape myths are a product of a patriarchal system where men have higher status and hold greater power than women. While there is some evidence that the adherence to some rape myths is declining, studies suggest that 25% to 35% of respondents both male and female agreed with these rape myths. More male than female respondents were found to endorse rape myths. Studies have found that rape myths influence the judicial system. Endorsement of rape myths contributed to increased victim blame and shorter sentencing for perpetrators. Police officers were less likely to believe victims who did not fit the profile of stereotypical rape victims. There is little empirical data on rape myths in religious organizations, but theoretic literature are …show more content…
In spite of statistics that clearly indicate that the vast majority of rapes occur at the hands of an individual that the victim knows, when asked women are more likely to fear an attack by a stranger. (miller) The most common location of acquaintance rape is in the victims own home or the home of the perpetrator. When presented with date rape scenarios women were more likely to view the incidence as seduction verses when presented with a scenario of a stranger attack (Ryan). This myth is closely associated the idea that women cannot be raped by their husbands. One study found that only 15% of the sample believed that boyfriends and husbands could rape their partners. Shockingly as late as 1970 all 50 states husbands could not be charged with rape of their wives even if it was forced and against her will. By 1994 all 50 states had made marital rape a
The endorsement of rape myths has been found to minimize or rationalize sexual violence and minimize or absolve responsibility of the perpetrator and is the basis of victim blaming. Edwards Rape myths exist on an individual level and in institutional and society levels. These myths are frequently endorsed by the media, legal system, heath care institutions and religious institutions. Rape myths were first identified and studied in the 1970s. Since that time there has been a large amount of research across multiple disciplines. It has been found that rape myths are a product of a patriarchal system where men have higher status and hold greater power than women. While there is some evidence that the adherence to some rape myths is declining, studies suggest that 25% to 35% of respondents both male and female agreed with these rape myths. More male than female respondents were found to endorse rape myths. Studies have found that rape myths influence the judicial system. Endorsement of rape myths contributed to increased victim blame and shorter sentencing for perpetrators. Police officers were less likely to believe victims who did not fit the profile of stereotypical rape victims. There is little empirical data on rape myths in religious organizations, but theoretic literature are …show more content…
In spite of statistics that clearly indicate that the vast majority of rapes occur at the hands of an individual that the victim knows, when asked women are more likely to fear an attack by a stranger. (miller) The most common location of acquaintance rape is in the victims own home or the home of the perpetrator. When presented with date rape scenarios women were more likely to view the incidence as seduction verses when presented with a scenario of a stranger attack (Ryan). This myth is closely associated the idea that women cannot be raped by their husbands. One study found that only 15% of the sample believed that boyfriends and husbands could rape their partners. Shockingly as late as 1970 all 50 states husbands could not be charged with rape of their wives even if it was forced and against her will. By 1994 all 50 states had made marital rape a