Multiple Perpetrator Sexual Assault: Attributions of Blame for Survivors

• In Event: Poster Session 2

Abstract

Sexual assault is a globally prevalent social issue. Although most sexual assaults are single perpetrator sexual assaults (SPSA), multiple perpetrator sexual assaults (MPSA) do occur and there is considerably less research concerning survivors of MPSA. While previous research has examined self-blame in SPSA survivors, to date there has not been research examining self-blame in MPSA survivors. The current study sought to understand if there are differences in self-blame (characterological and behavioral self-blame) between SPSA survivors and MPSA survivors. Results of the one-way ANOVA indicated significant differences for both behavioral self-blame F(2, 1798)= 3.48, p < .05, and characterological self-blame F(2, 1801)= 11.65, p < .001. Post-hoc mean comparisons indicated that survivors who experienced MPSA with three or more offenders had significantly more behavioral self-blame (M=3.53) than survivors of SPSA (M=3.33), p < .05, however there were no significant differences between SPSA survivors and survivors that experienced a MPSA with two perpetrators (M=3.47). Post-hoc mean comparisons also indicated that survivors of MPSA with two offenders had significantly more characterological self-blame (M=2.69) than SPSA survivors (M=2.50), p < .05 and survivors of MPSA with three or more perpetrators had significantly more characterological self-blame (M= 2.87), p < .001 than SPSA survivors.

Authors

• Casey J. Harris, University of Illinois Chicago

• Sarah E. Ullman, University of Illinois Chicago