Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Sexual assault is a widespread problem that disproportionately affects women; one in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime (Morgan & Ouderkerk, 2019), with many of these assaults going unreported. There are a variety of reasons for why a rape victim may choose not to report their assault, including shame, disbelief from law enforcement, and self-blame (e.g., Naseralla & Warner, 2019). Further, Black victims are less likely to report their assault, which may occur because Black victims are consistently blamed more for their assaults than White victims (e.g., Dupuis & Clay, 2013). Our current work seeks to examine how evaluations of victims who do or do not report their assault are influenced by racialized stereotypes found in acquaintance rapes, as well as how reporting decisions impact participant perceptions of assault severity and general endorsement of rape myths.While data collection is ongoing, preliminary analyses reveal that a White victim’s assault is seen as equally serious regardless of if they choose to report or not, however if a Black victim reports, their assault is seen as more serious than if they do not. Additional findings related to the impact of participant gender and victim demographics will also be discussed.
Recommended Citation
Mahood, Nieve, "170-To Report or Not Report: Implications for Victims of Sexual Assault" (2024). GREAT Day Posters. 45.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2024/posters-2024/45
170-To Report or Not Report: Implications for Victims of Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is a widespread problem that disproportionately affects women; one in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime (Morgan & Ouderkerk, 2019), with many of these assaults going unreported. There are a variety of reasons for why a rape victim may choose not to report their assault, including shame, disbelief from law enforcement, and self-blame (e.g., Naseralla & Warner, 2019). Further, Black victims are less likely to report their assault, which may occur because Black victims are consistently blamed more for their assaults than White victims (e.g., Dupuis & Clay, 2013). Our current work seeks to examine how evaluations of victims who do or do not report their assault are influenced by racialized stereotypes found in acquaintance rapes, as well as how reporting decisions impact participant perceptions of assault severity and general endorsement of rape myths.While data collection is ongoing, preliminary analyses reveal that a White victim’s assault is seen as equally serious regardless of if they choose to report or not, however if a Black victim reports, their assault is seen as more serious than if they do not. Additional findings related to the impact of participant gender and victim demographics will also be discussed.