Who Are the “Special Victims” on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”?

• In Event: Poster Session 2

Abstract

Rape myths are stereotypes related to the crime, its victims, and its perpetrators. Many of these myths outline what a “legitimate” victim looks and behaves like; for example, “real” victims are young, White, traditionally beautiful, females who resist their attackers and immediately report to the police. Television shows often use rape myths to frame fictional cases, influencing how people view the crime, and consequently, those victims. The issue is that when real-world victims do not possess the characteristics portrayed on screen, they are less likely to be believed and more likely to be blamed. The purpose of this project was to explore how one of television’s longest-running, sex-crimes focused shows, “Law & Order: Special Victims Units,” portrays rape cases, including victims. The research team quantitatively coded the case characteristics for each incident of adult, non-incestual rape across the entirety of the show. This poster will present the results from all 24 seasons and provide an analysis of victim characteristics (e.g., race, age, beauty, etc.) to understand how these special victims are depicted.

Authors

• Erin Houchins, Texas A&M University

• Elizabeth Lemke, Texas A&M University

• Kamal Patel, Texas A&M University

• Alexandra Silver, Texas A&M University

• Gemini Creason-Parker, Texas A&M University / Texas State University / Blinn College