Rebecca M. Hayes

Victim Blaming Others Rape Myth Acceptance and the Just World Belief

Rape myth acceptance which are false beliefs regarding the incidence of sexual assault, and are more prevalent among males, may influence how victims are treated. Acceptance of the just world belief (JWB), which argues that individuals believe that people get what they deserve, may be a predictor of rape myth acceptance. The present study examined the relationship among gender, belief in a just world, and rape myth acceptance. Findings suggest that while gender remained a significant predictor of rape myth acceptance the relationship between just world belief and rape myth acceptance was more complicated than hypothesized. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

Sexual Assault Reporting Procedures at Ohio Colleges

Abstract Objective: To assess how Ohio colleges conform to recommendations that address barriers to reporting sexual assault. Participants: A study sample of Ohio 4-year colleges (N = 105). Methods: College Web sites were examined between March and November 2011 for their availability of sexual assault policies using 8 measures. Results: Of the colleges in the sample, 66% had an online sexual assault policy. Less than 1% of colleges included definitions for applicable sexual offenses in the Ohio Revised Code. All colleges with a policy included on-campus personnel to whom a victim could report. Approximately 25% and 31% of colleges included confidential or 24/7 reporting options, respectively. Conclusions: Many colleges are failing to offer basic reporting options to victims of sexual assault. Having a clearly labeled sexual assault policy on a campus Web site that includes 24/7 reporting options and defines acts of sexual assault can aid victims in the reporting process.

It’s Her Fault Student Acceptance of Rape Myths On Two College Campuses

The present study examined factors that are associated with an individual’s adherence to rape myths at two colleges located in the same town. Particularly, we examined sex, race, and participants’ drinking behavior in relation to rape myth acceptance. We found that males and heavy drinkers are more likely than females and non/low drinkers to adhere to rape myths. An interaction between males and drinking was also found indicating a moderated effect of gender on rape myth acceptance. In addition, the college with sexual assault programming did not experience a lowered acceptance of rape myths compared with the college with no programming.

An Exploratory Examination of Student to Professor Disclosures of Crime Victimization

Prior qualitative research has demonstrated that female college students may utilize their professors as support providers when they experience sexual assault and intimate partner violence victimization. To further explore this phenomenon, the present study used a random sampling design on two college campuses to examine the following questions: (a) Are student disclosures of crime victimization a common occurrence for college professors? (b) What is the nature of college professors’ most recent disclosure of crime victimization? and (c) Do professor characteristics predict receiving a student disclosure of victimization? Implications of these findings as well as directions for future research will be discussed.

Differential Reactions to School Bonds, Peers, and Victimization in the Case of Adolescent Substance Use: The Moderating Effect of Sex

The present study addresses whether sex moderates the effects of known risk and protective factors for alcohol and drug use. Simultaneously drawing on traditional delinquency theories and feminist theoretical insight, the authors first included product terms in regression equations for the total sample and then estimated separate regression equations for girls and boys to determine the extent to which the theoretical constructs differentially affected their substance use. In a large sample of 8th to 12th graders, stronger effects of peer approval, school bonds, and victimizations were evident in the equations for girls, while peer pressure mattered more for boys. Implications of moderated effects for theoretical and empirical developments are discussed.

#Crime: The Theoretical Underpinnings

There is an extensive body of literature examining legacy media and crime, and over the past ten years scholars have begun to explore the impact of new media on crime. Traditional media theories were created at the time of broadcast culture and today’s culture is a digital one. Therefore, traditional theories may or may not hold weight with the advent of social media. This chapter begins by defining legacy media and new media, followed by a discussion of media consumption trends with particular attention to social media. Then, the chapter overviews a selection of key media theories—social construction, moral panics, and fear of crime/cultivation theory—on crime and examines the applicability of new media to each theory. The chapter concludes by discussing theories and concepts directly applicable to new media and crime such as theoretical work by Yar (2012) and other research regarding the impact of the internet, networking, and digital culture.

#FutureCrime: What Is Crime in the Age of New Media?

The commission and control of crime are changing due to new media. Crimes are committed online, law enforcement investigates the social media accounts of alleged perpetrators, and questions are being asked about the responsibility of new media in crime control responses. Using four case studies, this chapter explores crime and victimization in the context of new media. Each case study addresses a particular form of new media crime—trolling, revenge porn, cyberbullying, and performance crime—and examines prevalence, the criminal legal response, and emerging questions.

#Notallmen: Media and Crime Victimization

Perceptions of victimization influence who is thought to be a “real” victim. These perceptions of who is a victim and how victimization occurs can be shaped by media imagery. This chapter begins by discussing the notion of the ideal victim, the media construction of victims, and the reality of victimization. Throughout the discussion of the media construction of victims, particular attention is paid to victims of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Using current examples from the news media and pop culture, this chapter also covers how gender identity, victimization, and sexuality are blurred and often criminalized. Additionally, this chapter highlights how the ideal victim narrative is being challenged through the media. New media, in particular, is being used to push back against victimization and perceptions of victimization.

#CrimingWhileWhite: Media’s Construction of the Criminal

Media perpetuates common myths about crime and criminals. These myths, historically influenced by legacy media, might also be impacted by new media. Legacy media, and particularly television news, is usually meant to highlight the rare and sensationalized event, whereas new media’s agenda is written by everyone. When examining legacy media, there is a focus on immigrants, race/ethnicity, and street crime, and this creates an image of what types of crimes are common and who we should fear as criminals. The current chapter examines some of the more popular myths regarding crime and debunks these myths with current research findings and statistics. Using contemporary examples, this chapter discusses how legacy and new media are influencing who is cast as a criminal, what is considered a crime, and how society reacts.

#CSI Effect: How Media Impacts the Criminal Legal System

Media has a wide-reaching impact on the criminal legal system and isolating the effects would be impossible. Drawing from a select body of research, this chapter highlights some of the effects of media on the criminal legal system. The chapter examines the impact of media, and especially new media, on law enforcement, juries and trial outcomes, lawyers and judges, and corrections. Whether it is through individuals recording and posting videos of law-breaking behavior on social media or live tweeting trial proceedings, social media’s accessibility and interactive nature has the potential to significantly impact the functioning of the criminal legal system. Each section of the chapter draws from research examining how media shapes perceptions of the criminal legal system and exploring how media changes the functioning of the criminal legal system.