Effects of Victim Gender and Sexuality on Attributions of Blame to Rape Victims

@article{Wakelin2003EffectsOV,
  title={Effects of Victim Gender and Sexuality on Attributions of Blame to Rape Victims},
  author={Anna Wakelin and Karen Long},
  journal={Sex Roles},
  year={2003},
  volume={49},
  pages={477-487}
}
Previous research suggests that homosexual male rape victims receive more blame than heterosexual victims. In this study, we examined effects of victim gender and sexuality on judgments of victims of stranger rape by a male perpetrator. Participants read a rape vignette in which victim gender and sexuality varied, and then rated the amount of blame they attributed to the perpetrator and victim. Victims were attributed more blame if their sexual orientation suggested potential attraction to the… 
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105 Citations
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Background Citations
57
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2
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105 Citations

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Citation Type

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Male participants blamed the victim more than female participants when the victim was both gay and attacked by a male perpetrator, and all participants, regardless of gender, made more positive judgements toward the female as opposed to male perpetrator.
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It is concluded that sex and sexual identity interact to shape attributions about rape and discuss avenues for future research to explore these patterns.
Perceptions of male victims in depicted sexual assaults: A review of the literature
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The Influence of Sexual Orientation on Attributions of Blame Toward Victims of Sexual Assault
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Examining perceptions of blame toward a female sexual assault victim to determine whether the victim’s sexual orientation impacts the level of attributed blame was a first step in understanding whether bisexual assault victims are evaluated differently than their straight and lesbian counterparts.
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