The Influence of Gender-Role Related Attitudes to the Acceptance of the Rape Myth

Kim, Aeelee; Park, Cheongyeul

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the relationship between college students' acceptance of the rape myth and variables in gender-role attitude, which have been known to forecast the acceptance of the rape myth. METHOD: This study was a survey research. Data were collected from May 1, 2006 to February 31, 2007 with 240 undergraduate students. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and regression analysis with SPSSWIN 12.0 program were used for data analysis.
RESULTS
Men were more acceptable to the rape myth than women. Men were very likely to see the occurrence of rape incidents as the rapist being provoked by women, and this attitude made them misunderstand and perceive women as responsible for the occurrence of the incident. Women on the other deny their idea. As a result of analyzing the difference between males and females in attitudes related to gender-role, male students were shown to have a much more traditional and patriarchal attitude than female students.
CONCLUSION
It was found that a hostile attitude toward women and the justification of violence to others act as the main factors in forecasting the acceptance of the rape myth.