Abstract
This investigation focused on impressions of single and multiple incident rape victims. College as well as non-college male and female samples reported their perceptions of a rape victim who was raped for the first time or who experienced a prior rape 1, 3, or 8 years previously. Half of the fictional victims with prior rape histories were described as having reported and half as not having reported the earlier incident. No differences in perceptions were related to initial or repeat victimization. Attempts to ward off realization of vulnerability to victimization were offered as explanations for differences in male and female observers' perceptions. College and non-college sample differences in observers' perceptions were discussed in terms of differences in living experience. Caution seems warranted in estimating the general public's perceptions of rape victims from assessments based on college student samples.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brownmiller, S. (1975). Against our will: Men, women and rape. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Calhoun, L. G., Selby, J. W., & Warring, L. J. (1976). Social perception of the victim's causal role in rape: An exploratory examination of four factors. Human Relations, 29, 517–526.
Cann, A., Calhoun, L. G., & Selby, J. W. (1979). Attributing responsibility to the victim of rape: Influence of information regarding past sexual experience. Human Relations, 32, 57–67.
Clark, L., & Lewis, D. (1977). Rape: The price of coercive sexuality. Toronto, Canada: The Women's Press.
Cohen, L. J., & Roth, S. (1987). The psychological aftermath of rape: Long-term effects and individual differences in recovery. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 5, 525–534.
Ellis, E. M., Atkeson, B. M., & Calhoun, K. S. (1982). An examination of differences between multiple and single incident victims of sexual assault. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 221–224.
Gerdes, E. P. Dammann, E. J., & Heilig, K. E. (1988). Perceptions of rape victims and assailants: Effects of physical attractiveness, acquaintance, and subject gender. Sex Roles, 19, 141–153.
Kanakar, S., Pinto, N. J. P., & Mazumdar, D. (1985). Causal and moral responsibility of victims of rape and robbery. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 15, 622–637.
Krulewitz, J. E. (1982). Reactions to rape victims: Effects of rape circumstances, victim's emotional response, and sex of helper. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 29, 645–654.
Krulewitz, J. E., & Nash, J. E. (1979). Effects of rape victim resistance, assault outcome, and sex of observer on attributions about rape. Journal of Personality, 47, 557–574.
Lerner, M. J., & Miller, D. T. (1978). Just world research and the attribution process: Looking back and ahead. Psychological Bulletin, 85, 1030–1051.
McCahill, T. W., Meyer, L. C., & Fischman, A. M. (1979). The aftermath of rape. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Miller, J., Moeller, D., Kaufman, A., Divasto, P., Pathak, D., & Christy, J. (1978). Recidivism among sex assault victims. American Journal of Psychiatry, 135, 1103–1104.
Rose, V. M., & Randall, S. C. (1982). The impact of investigator perceptions of victim legitimacy on the processing of rape/sexual assault cases. Symbolic Interaction, 5, 23–36.
Schult, D. G., & Schneider, L. J. (1991). The role of provocativeness, rape history, and observer sex in attributions of blame in sexual assault. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 6, 94–101.
Scroggs, J. R. (1976). Penalties for rape as a function of victim provocativeness, damage, and resistance. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 6, 360–368.
Smith, R. E., Keating, J. P., Hester, R. K., & Mitchell, H. E. (1976). Role and justice considerations in the attribution of responsibility to a rape victims. Journal of Research in Personality, 10, 346–357.
Walster, E. (1966). Assignment of responsibility for an accident. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 3, 73–79.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This investigation was supported by a grant from the University of North Texas Organized Faculty Research Fund. Special thanks are extended to the Legal Services Department of the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport for their assistance and to Jack Haynes for assistance in the data analysis.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schneider, L.J. Perceptions of single and multiple incident rape. Sex Roles 26, 97–108 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00289752
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00289752