Assessing Blame Attributions Towards Women with Bipolar Disorder in a Hypothetical Sexual Assault Scenario

• In Event: Victimization: Risk, Perceptions of Risk, and Stigma

Abstract

Certain behaviors exhibited by women who experience sexual assault, such as alcohol use, revealing attire, sexual promiscuity, and disinhibition, are linked to victim blaming attitudes. These same behaviors are commonly presented by individuals experiencing a manic episode in the context of bipolar disorder. For women with bipolar disorder, negative reactions following a sexual assault may be compounded due to the stigma associated with sexual victimization and with their mental health diagnosis. Yet, sexual assault blame attributions for women with bipolar disorder who have experienced sexual assault have not been studied previously. The current study utilizes an experimental vignette methodology to assess the role of a victim’s mental health status on perceptions of blameworthiness following a hypothetical sexual assault scenario. Participants were presented with a short, fictional vignette describing a woman experiencing a manic episode in the context of bipolar disorder and then a coercive sexual assault. All participants were randomly assigned into one of four groups that vary based on the amount of information provided about the victim’s bipolar disorder diagnosis. The results will be analyzed using ANOVA to determine if there are differences in victim blaming attitudes across the four randomly assigned groups.

Authors

• Lauren Nicole Labuhn, University of Central Florida

• Alison Cares, University of Central Florida

• Amie Newins, University of Central Florida