Rape Myth Campuses

How Rape Myths Influence Sexual Violence on College Campuses The prevalence of sexual assault and the myths around sexual assault on college campuses are topics of concern to both researchers and college administrators. Research has long shown that sexual assault is a common and reoccurring problem among college women (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2004). It has been reported that between one-fifth to one-quarter of college women are sexually assaulted during the course of their college careers (Fisher et al., 2004). Research indicates that between 64% and 96% percent of all rapes are never reported to criminal justice authorities. (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000). Although rape myths are a social and cultural phenomenon that exists beyond the
First, rape myths contribute to rape culture in that attitudes about rape help explain how people behave toward victims and offenders (Frese, Moya, & Megias, 2004). Rape myths ‘‘deny or minimize victim injury or blame the victims for their own victimization’’ (Carmody & Washington, 2001, p. 424). Some examples of rape myths include the idea that women can resist rape if they try hard enough; that sexual assault victims are usually promiscuous; and that women falsely report rape to protect their reputations or in retaliation (Carmody & Washington, 2001). Second, rape myths are correlated with incidence rates of sexual assault on college campuses (Cite). Third, in-group social norms make rape myths appear as part of a normal belief system (Burnett et al.,
Fraternity membership creates a double standard wherein men who have sex are ‘‘studs,’’ and women who have sex are ‘‘sluts’’ (Adams-Curtis & Forbes, 2004). Some fraternities perpetuate this double standard more than others; Boswell and Spade (1996) found that college women were able to identify differences between high and low risk fraternities on their campus. Next, fraternity men and sorority women are more likely than independent men and women to use alcohol before having sex (Lanza-Kaduce, Capece, & Alden, 2006), which may contribute further to the perpetuation of rape culture on college campuses. Previous research has found a correlation between alcohol consumption, sexual violence, and rape culture. When studying unwanted sexual experiences on college campuses, including date rape, Banyard et al. (2005) reported that almost half of unwanted sexual experiences involved alcohol use. Lastly, the presence of rape culture influences not only the risk factors related to sexual violence, it influences post-rape behaviors, so as to conceal and perpetuate rape and the culture of rape. Importantly, rape culture appears to foster silencing. A national survey of college women found that fewer than 5% of sexual offenses are reported to law enforcement (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000). The presence of alcohol makes