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This research, conducted by Apoorva Choudhary, a PhD Scholar in the Department of Clinical Psychology, and Dr. Nitesh Kumar Jha, an Assistant Professor specializing in Criminal Psychology, both from the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences at SGT University, Gurugram (Delhi NCR), delves into the critical issue of violence against women, particularly rape. The study seeks to understand the relationship between rape myth acceptance, attitudes towards women, and rape-supportive attitudes among male and female university students. With a concerning increase in rape-related crimes in India, the researchers aim to shed light on the socio-cognitive factors contributing to this pressing societal problem.
This research paper was presented in 49th National Annual Conference of Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists on 12th February 2023.
Rape continues to be a pervasive social issue, with far-reaching consequences for victims and society at large. Social cognitions about rape are believed to significantly influence the development and perpetuation of sexually violent behaviors. The rise in rape cases, as evidenced by a 70.7% increase in rape-related crimes in India over the past two decades, has heightened the urgency to comprehend public attitudes toward rape. While previous research has explored the determinants of rape myth acceptance, particularly among college students, little is known about the roles of attitudes towards women in the relationship between gender and rape-supportive attitudes. Thus, this study aims to fill this gap by investigating the association between socio-cognitive factors (rape myth acceptance and attitudes towards women) and rape-supportive attitudes among university students.
To explore these crucial relationships, Apoorva Choudhary and Dr. Nitesh Kumar Jha conducted the study with a sample of 60 university students aged 18-29 years, with an average age of 20 years. The sample consisted of an equal number of male and female students from various private universities in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The researchers administered three reliable and validated questionnaires to assess rape myth acceptance, rape-supportive attitudes, and attitudes towards women. These questionnaires, previously used in studies involving offender populations, provided robust and comprehensive data for analysis.
Rape myths entail widely accepted false beliefs about rape that often serve to deny and justify male sexual assault against women. Among the most pervasive rape myths are the beliefs that “women commonly lie about rape” and that “only specific women are raped.” Rape-supportive attitudes are a set of beliefs that promote sexual abuse, emphasizing the role of a woman’s actions and perceived responsibility for sexual abuse, thereby minimizing, excusing, or justifying such abuse.
The study’s results revealed a significant and positive relationship between rape-supportive attitudes and rape myth acceptance among male students. This indicates that the more pro-rape attitudes a male student hold, the more likely they are to accept rape myths. On the other hand, female students demonstrated a significant and negative relationship between rape-supportive attitudes and rape myth acceptance. This suggests that a rejection of pro-rape attitudes corresponds to a lower acceptance of rape myths among female students.
Attitudes towards women encompass beliefs about women’s rights and responsibilities across various domains, such as work, education, dating practices, sexual activities, and marital relations. The study found a significant and negative relationship between attitudes towards women and rape-supportive attitudes among male students, indicating that male students tend to hold more traditional and conservative attitudes towards women, which contribute to more rape-supportive attitudes. Conversely, among female students, there was a significant and negative relationship between attitudes towards women and rape-supportive attitudes, implying that female students demonstrate more egalitarian and pro-feministic attitudes towards women and display fewer rape-supportive attitudes.
This groundbreaking study by Apoorva Choudhary and Dr. Nitesh Kumar Jha highlights the critical roles of rape myth acceptance and attitudes towards women in shaping rape-supportive attitudes among male and female university students. The research emphasizes the need to address and combat societal issues related to sexual violence against women by understanding and challenging the underlying socio-cognitive factors. By promoting egalitarian attitudes and rejecting pro-rape beliefs, interventions in interpersonal relationships, education, legal systems, and medical institutions can contribute to a safer and more equitable society for all. The study’s findings hold significant theoretical and practical implications, urging stakeholders to consider individuals’ attitudes towards rape and rape myths in efforts to prevent and respond effectively to sexual assault.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
MS APOORVA CHOUDHARY is a RCI Licensed Clinical Psychologist and PhD Scholar. She is a compassionate and empathetic therapist committed to caring for children, adolescents, and adults, and implementing effective treatment plans. She is eager to learn and contribute to the betterment of others. She has a keen interest in research, and her areas of interest include criminal psychology, sexual abuse and behavior, and clinical psychology.
DR. NITESH KUMAR JHA is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology, FBSC, SGT University Delhi NCR. His area of specialization includes Criminal Psychology, Psychology of Juvenile Delinquency, and Personality Psychology. He is an active member of various academic associations including American Psychological Association, South Asian Society of Criminology and Victimology, Indian Society of Criminology, and Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists. Throughout his academic journey, he has participated and presented paper in several national and international conferences, seminars, webinars, faculty development programmes and workshops and also served as resource person to various institutions.
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