NCJ Number
140717
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 18 Issue: 3/4 Dated: (1992) Pages: 141-165
Date Published
1992
Length
25 pages
Annotation
Two experiments, conducted at the Ontario Science Center using a sample of 282 adult volunteer subjects, examined the effects of gender of victim and offender, age of victim, and initiator of interaction (victim or offender) on the public perception of, and judgments about, cases of child sexual assault.
Abstract
In the first experiment, the participants responded to a series of questions regarding a scenario of child sexual abuse. The researchers used a 2x2x2 fully-crossed design to manipulate gender of the victim and offender and identity of the initiating party. In the second experiment, the age of the victim and the identity of the initiating party were manipulated in similar fashion. The variable which exhibited the strongest and most consistent results in evaluating the subjects' attitudes and perceptions was identity of the initiating party. The author concludes that those cases in which the evidence suggests that the child did something to invite the assault will be viewed more leniently by most people. While most people regard child sexual abuse as a heinous crime, the legal principle of consent not being an issue where children are concerned is not so widely accepted. These findings suggest that legal and mental health professionals should be concerned with the administration of justice in cases of child sexual assault. 4 tables, 4 figures, and 25 references