Rape Myth Acceptance Among Scottish and American Students.

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  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
      RAPE; SEX crimes; SEXUAL assault; MYTH; STUDENTS
    • Subject Terms:
      UNITED States; SCOTLAND
    • Abstract:
      The article analyzes the rape myth acceptance among the students of Scotland and United States. The cultural theory suggests that sexual assault is supported and encouraged by rape myths, described as attitudes and beliefs that are generally false but are widely and persistently held, and that serve to deny and justify male sexual aggression against women. According to the authors, since greater rape myth acceptance (RMA) is seen in societies plagued by a higher incidence of sexual assault, they hypothesized that RMA would be greater in the U.S. population than in the Scottish population. In the sample of undergraduates included in this study, the U.S. participants indicated greater acceptance of cultural rape myths than did the Scottish participants. Also, the male students in the present sample reported greater RMA than the female students did. Higher rates of sexual assault within a particular culture will tend to be associated with greater RMA. Finally, the authors opine that the results of their study support the cultural theory of rape.