Attribution of blame to rape victims among therapists and non-therapists.

Mental Health Services for Rape Survivors Current Issues in Therapeutic Practice

This paper reviews three critical issues for mental health practitioners working with rape survivors. First, current research suggests that victims experience a variety of negative mental health effects from sexual assault, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress symptoms. In addition, rape survivors may be struggling with how family and friends are reacting to the assault and may ...

Understanding attribution of blame in cases of rape: An analysis of participant gender, type of rape and perceived similarity to the victim

This study examined a variety of factors that may influence attributions towards rape victims. A total of 156 participants completed a questionnaire, which included a measure of attitudes towards rape victims and a vignette depicting one of three rape scenarios (a stranger rape, date rape and seduction rape). Participants rated the extent to which they blamed the rape victim as well as the degr...

Rape Myth Consistency and Gender Differences in Perceiving Rape Victims: A Meta-Analysis.

An overview discusses feminist analyses of oppression, attitudes toward rape victims, and previously studied predictors of individuals' attitudes toward rape victims. To better understand such attitudes, this meta-analysis examines the moderating influences of various rape victim, perpetrator, and crime characteristics' rape myth consistency on gender differences in individuals' perceptions of ...

Attributions, Coping, Self-Blame and Emotional Status in Victims of Rape and Domestic Violence

Understanding rape and sexual assault: 20 years of progress and future directions.

During the past 20 years, researchers have documented the widespread problem of rape in American society. Approximately one in four women are raped in their adult lifetime, which causes severe psychological distress and long-term physical health problems. The impact of sexual assault extends far beyond rape survivors as their family, friends, and significant others are also negatively affected....