Clarke Allyson K, Lawson Karen L
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Violence Vict. 2009;24(2):248-64. doi: 10.1891/0886-6708.24.2.248.
One potential barrier facing sexual assault survivors is that prejudicial attitudes and perceptions of victim appearance can influence the amount of blame, sympathy, and help that they receive from others. Using Weiner's (1980) attribution-affect-action theory as a guide, the present study investigated the relation between observer attitudinal characteristics (rape myth acceptance [RMA] and antifat attitudes [AFA]), victim weight, and specific judgments regarding a hypothetical sexual assault case. Female undergraduate participants (N=173) were presented with a sexual assault scenario and asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires. Consistent with past research, attributions of victim fault were positively associated with adherence to rape myths and were higher toward thin victims than overweight victims. Further, the relation between the rater attitudinal variables and sentencing recommendations was found to be dependent on victim weight. When the victim was presented as thin, neither RMA nor AFA emerged as a predictor of sentencing recommendations. In contrast, both RMA and AFA were positively related to sentencing recommendations when the victim was presented as overweight. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
性侵犯幸存者面临的一个潜在障碍是，对受害者外貌的偏见态度和看法会影响他们从他人那里得到的责备、同情和帮助的程度。本研究以韦纳（1980）的归因-情感-行动理论为指导，调查了观察者的态度特征（对强奸谬见的认同[RMA]和反胖态度[AFA]）、受害者体重以及对一个假设性性侵犯案件的具体判断之间的关系。向女性本科参与者（N = 173）呈现一个性侵犯场景，并要求她们完成一系列自我报告问卷。与过去的研究一致，对受害者过错的归因与对强奸谬见的认同呈正相关，对瘦受害者的归因高于超重受害者。此外，发现评分者态度变量与量刑建议之间的关系取决于受害者体重。当受害者被呈现为瘦时，RMA和AFA都没有成为量刑建议的预测因素。相比之下，当受害者被呈现为超重时，RMA和AFA都与量刑建议呈正相关。讨论了这些发现的理论和实际意义。
