NCJ Number
112406
Journal
Political Psychology Volume: 9 Issue: 4 Dated: (1988) Pages: 41-73
Date Published
1988
Length
33 pages
Annotation
In this article, the author posits a theory about how violent and nonviolent pornography causes rape and other sexual assault, and presents a review of recent research literature to support this theory.
Abstract
The author theorizes that pornography predisposes some men to want to rape women or intensifies the predisposition in other men already so predisposed. It is further hypothesized that pornography undermines some men's internal and social inhibitions against acting out their rape desires. In discussing men's propensity to rape and sexually abused children, the author cites a study of male college students at universities in the United States and Canada which found that 25 to 30 percent reported the likelihood they would rape a woman if they could get away with it. A number of studies are presented and discussed to substantiate the author's theory that pornography causes rape and other sexual assault, and suggestions are made for further research. Illustration and 54 references. (Author abstract modified)