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Psychosocial Determinants of Attitudes Towards Rape Victims Among Men, Women and Non-Binary Individuals in Pakistan

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Abstract

Past research has shown that rape myths can have damaging consequences for victims of sexual assault. This study investigated the predictive relationship of grandiose narcissism, psychopathic traits and rape myths acceptance with attitudes towards rape victims in the general population of Pakistan. The research employed a cross-sectional design and utilized a purposive sample of 416 participants with 178 males, 158 females and 80 non-binary individuals in the age range 18–68. It is pertinent to mention that non-binary individuals have only recently been added in research as a separate group especially with regard to the Pakistani culture. Therefore, little is known regarding their perspectives towards rape victims. G Power analysis was used for determining the sufficiency of the sample size. Data analysis was done using Pearson Product Moment Correlation, stepwise regression, MANOVA, and Moderated Mediation Analysis via SPSS 21.0. The findings showed that most positive attitudes towards rape victims were held by non-binary individuals followed by females with the attitudes of males being least favorable. Additionally, the results indicated that acceptance of rape myths, primary psychopathy, and grandiose narcissism had significant effects on attitudes towards rape victims, with the latter also showing a conditional indirect effect through primary psychopathy on the relationship between rape myths acceptance and attitudes towards rape victims.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Higher Education Department, Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

    Syed Messum Ali Kazmi, Samreen Arshad & Awais Nasir

  2. Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan

    Samreen Arshad

  3. Rescue 1122 Department, Lahore, Pakistan

    Awais Nasir

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  1. Syed Messum Ali Kazmi
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  2. Samreen Arshad
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Kazmi, S.M.A., Arshad, S. & Nasir, A. Psychosocial Determinants of Attitudes Towards Rape Victims Among Men, Women and Non-Binary Individuals in Pakistan. Sexuality & Culture 28, 314–332 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-023-10118-7

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