Public Perceptions of Sexual and Dating Violence: How Attitudes on Sexual Education and Pornography Relate to Rape Myth Acceptance

• In Event: Uncharted Territories in Sexual Violence Research: Pornography, Policy, and Pandemic Impacts

Abstract

Objective: This study uses a factorial survey experiment (n ~ 500, based on a priori power analysis) to examine the relationship between attitudes on rape myths and attitudes on pornography and how these factors both relate to rape myth acceptance. Data/Methods: This survey provided respondents with two hypothetical scenarios relating to a sexual encounter at a house party. These scenarios test four key rape myths: victim precipitation factor, victim-perpetrator relationship, setting, and fighting off sexual advances. Following each scenario, participants ranked the level of responsibility for each individual and explain why. Last, participants were given a supplemental survey of 35 Likert-style statements, which came from four sources: the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale Short-Form, the Internet Pornography Questionnaire, the Sexual Health Awareness Scale, and the Man Box Scale. Conclusions/Implications: this study bridges the gap between macro-level systems of power and beliefs on sexual education to micro-level attitudes on sexual violence. While this study focuses on micro-level attitudinal factors, findings address macro-level findings from the prior study (policy analysis of state sexual educational guidelines for educators) and changes in the current political climate, especially in the context of Trump’s executive orders and policy changes outlined in Project 2025.

Author

• Bailey Saldana, Southern Illinois University Carbondale