NCJ Number
151053
Date Published
1994
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Relationships among gender, myths about rape, and the perceptions of males and females regarding music videos were examined using data from 215 undergraduates of the University of Florida.
Abstract
The students viewed videos and completed questionnaires. The results were analyzed using multiple regression and t-tests. Results revealed that persons who scored higher in acceptance of rape myths tended to define rape more restrictively than did persons lower in rape myth acceptance. Males and females higher in rape myth acceptance attributed relatively more responsibility to the woman for forced sex than did those lower in rape myth acceptance. Persons describing themselves as having had sexually successful experiences were more likely to respond that the easy sexual arousal of women portrayed in videos was realistic than were persons who said their sexual experiences were less successful. Findings also indicated that males attributed relatively more sexual responsibility to women for sex than did females when a couple had just met if the women flirted with the man or changed her mind after consented to sex. Males also attributed more sexual responsibility to women when the man paid for the data, petting occurred, the woman initiated a date, the woman's clothing was sexy, or the woman was drunk. Finally, females tended to express more concern than did males that music videos were not disseminating safe-sex messages. Tables and 31 references (Author abstract modified)