NCJ Number
141954
Journal
Journal of College Student Development Volume: 33 Dated: (July 1992) Pages: 331-338
Date Published
1992
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study assessed university students' attitudes toward rape and rape mythology and measured any impact on these attitudes following exposure to an acquaintance-rape education program.
Abstract
A total of 821 students (503 women and 318 men) in 15 sections of an introductory health course at a midsized midwestern public university participated in this study. The Rape Supportive Attitudes Survey was used to assess response to a date rape education program. The Adversarial Sexual Beliefs Scale was also administered to the subjects. A date rape presentation following a structured outline was presented in each class for a typical 50-minute class period. Instructional method included a combination of lecture, video presentations of date rape situations, plus sharing of a date rape experience by one of the presenters. As in previous similar studies, college men were found to adhere much more strongly to attitudes associated with the occurrence of date and acquaintance rape than were their female counterparts. Neither the pretest survey nor the educational program presented in this study helped male participants to change their attitudes. The message of these outcomes is to continue the effective work with women and to develop new independent educational strategies for men. 32 references