NCJ Number
44704
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PERCEIVED RESPECTABILITY OF A RAPE VICTIM (AS INDICATED BY HER STATUS AS VIRGIN, MARRIED WOMAN, OR DIVORCEE) AND THE TENDENCY TO VIEW THE VICTIM AS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER RAPE IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
WRITTEN CASE ACCOUNTS OF RAPES WERE PRESENTED TO 234 MALE AND FEMALE UNDERGRADUATES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS. THE ACCOUNTS VARIED IN TERMS OF THE VICTIM'S STATUS AND WHETHER THE RAPE WAS COMPLETED OR ATTEMPTED. THE SUBJECTS WERE ASKED TO RECOMMEND A PRISON TERM FOR EACH DEFENDANT AND TO RATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH EACH VICTIM MIGHT HAVE BEEN AT FAULT. SUBJECTS ATTRIBUTED MORE FAULT TO VICTIMS WHO WERE MARRIED OR VIRGINS THAN TO VICTIMS WHO WERE DIVORCED AND IMPOSED LONGER SENTENCES FOR THE ASSAULT OF A MARRIED WOMAN OR A VIRGIN THAN FOR THE ASSAULT OF A DIVORCEE. LONGER SENTENCES WERE IMPOSED FOR COMPLETED RAPE THAN FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTUAL AND ATTEMPTED RAPE IN THE AMOUNT OF FAULT ATTRIBUTED TO THE VICTIM, NOR BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE SUBJECTS IN THE ATTRIBUTION OF FAULT TO VICTIMS. A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION OF THE FINDINGS IS FOUND IN THE CONCEPT OF THE 'JUST WORLD,' IN WHICH MORE RESPECTABLE PEOPLE ARE VIEWED AS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE CAUSED THEIR OWN MISFORTUNE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT DESERVE THE MISFORTUNE AS A FUNCTION OF THEIR INTRINSIC CHARACTERISTICS. ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE EXPLORED. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED.