Dianne Cyr Carmody

Rape Myth Acceptance Among College Women The Impact of Race and Prior Victimization

Using data from a survey of 623 undergraduate college women, this study explores the impact of race and prior sexual assault victimization on the acceptance of rape myths. No substantial differences emerged between Black and White women. This finding differs from earlier studies that found more support for rape myths among Blacks. Victims and nonvictims also revealed very similar attitudes, suggesting that socialization patterns or belief in a “just world” may encourage victims to retain their support of some rape myths. The findings suggest that although most college women reject rape myths, a substantial minority continue to support them. Continued educational efforts are recommended.

Family Structure and Patterns of Independence Giving to Adolescents Variations by Age, Race, and Gender of Child

This article explores the relationship between family structure and control attempts of parents with regard to their adolescent children. Differences in control attempts for lifelong intact families, single-parent households, cohabiting households, and stepparent households were analyzed using the National Survey of Families and Households. The nature of the control attempts focused on parental behaviors such as leaving the child home alone, variations in curfew, and application of household rules. The relationship between childs age, gender, and family structure was of particular interest. The findings reveal little difference between parental control attempts in lifelong intact families versus single-parent and stepparent families. Cohabiting parents demonstrated the greatest variation in adolescent control attempts for both sons and daughters. In general, the research suggests that parents in nontraditional families attempt to exercise control at about the same levels as parents in long-term two-parent families

Disentangling the Effects of Self-Protective Behaviors on the Risk of Injury in Assaults Against Women

Using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey, this paper attempts to disentangle the effects of self-protective behaviors on the risk of injury in assaults against women. Unlike previous research, in this study we address simultaneously three important conceptual and methodological issues: (1) type of self-protective behavior, (2) temporal sequencing of self-protective behavior in relation to injury, and (3) the victim/offender relationship. Results indicate that even after controlling for other contextual characteristics of an assault, the probability of a woman being injured was lowest when she employed non-physical resistance strategies such as arguing or reasoning with the offender. This was true for all types of offenders. However, for assaults involving intimates, the probability of injury was increased for women who physically resisted their attackers.

Missing gender in cases of infamous school violence: Investigating research and media explanations

The shootings at Columbine and Jonesboro, along with multiple shootings at five other schools, captured the nations attention and received widespread media coverage. Utilizing a feminist perspective that addresses masculinity, we explore research and major newspaper coverage of infamous school violence to determine how extensively gender is considered as a contributing factor. Results indicate that data sources on violent deaths at school miss the gendered nature of the violence. Similarly, media coverage of the seven cases under study discount the role of masculinities, bullying, and male violence against girls and women, and few of the policy recommendations address these concerns. The relative absence of attention to the gendered nature of school violence encourages incomplete explanations and ineffective policies.

Wife assault and perceptions of sanctions.

Using survey data based on telephone interviews of 1,626 coupled males, this study explores the relationship between perceptions of four possible sanctions for wife assault and involvement in this form of physical aggression. The exploratory analysis addresses the following questions: To what extent do men perceive negative reactions to wife assault as certain and severe? Do nonassaultive men perceive the reactions of others as more certain and severe than men who engage in physically aggressive behavior? Among men who assault their partners, are the perceived certainty and severity of sanctions greater for one-time offenders than for repeat offenders? The relevance of the findings on the deterrent and experiential effects of sanctions are discussed, and suggestions are offered for future studies that apply deterrence theory to the phenomenon of assaults taking place between adult partners.

There Are No “Innocent Victims”: The Influence of Just World Beliefs and Prior Victimization on Rape Myth Acceptance

Utilizing data from an online survey of 979 university students, this study explores the relationship between prior sexual assault victimization experiences, belief in a just world, and acceptance of rape myths. Results indicated that men, younger respondents, and those with less education were more likely to support rape myths. Support for just world beliefs and rape myths were also positively associated, while rape victims exhibited less support for rape myths than non-victims. Implications for future studies are discussed.

Deadly Love Images of Dating Violence in the “Twilight Saga”

It has been well established that adolescents face a high risk of dating violence in the United States. One explanation links these behaviors to attitudes and behaviors that are reflected in the media, such as books, movies, and video games that target a teenage audience. In the study presented here, a content analysis of the popular four-book Twilight series provided evidence of behaviors and attitudes that are conducive to dating violence. Cases of physical and sexual abuse, stalking, threats, and intimidation were identified in the text. Given that this book series has been praised for its “wholesome” presentation of teenage romance, these are troubling findings. Implications include the use of the Twilight series in social work, education, and violence prevention efforts.

Routine activities of delinquent and non-delinquent victims of violent crime

The link between criminal victimization and offending has become increasingly well documented in recent years. Unfortunately, the empirical and theoretical enmeshment of these variables makes it difficult to determine the effect of specific activities purely on victimization. This paper provides an examination of the effect of engaging in specific risky activities on the violent victimization experiences of delinquent and non-delinquent youth. Our results show that there are some modest differences in the effects of risky behaviors on the likelihood of violent victimization for delinquents and non-delinquents.

Domestic Violence Training Policies: Influence on Participation in Training and Awareness of Abuse

Victims of domestic violence rely on various human services professionals for an assortment of needs. Consequently, professionals must be prepared to recognize the signs of domestic violence, the needs of victims, and strategies to serve victims effectively. It is believed that in-service training programs are useful in better preparing social services workers for these areas. Many workers, however, may not participate in such training. This study examined how the presence of domestic violence training policies influences participation in training programs and awareness of domestic violence. Implications for practice are provided.

Preventing Online Victimization College Students’ Views on Intervention and Prevention

Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites have changed the way we interact online. Technological advances have also facilitated the emergence of cyberstalking and online harassment, a growing issue on college campuses. This study utilizes focus group data to examine college students’ experiences with online harassment and cyberstalking. Students voiced concerns with online tracking, falsifying identities, and harassment. They also noted that incoming first-year students and those negotiating some of their first romantic relationships are especially vulnerable. In addition, students were asked to propose appropriate prevention, education, and intervention strategies at the college level. Surprisingly, many students recommended offline programs to battle this online problem.