New Study Reveals Men Lack Sympathy for Rape Victims

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Commentary, Michelle Says So, true crime blogger

As a two time rape victim myself, I would have to agree with this finding. Personally, I find it's only the men who have been sexually assaulted themselves or molested as a child who are the minority in these ignorant attitudes.  

Here's MY questions to the "men" out there who lack sympathy for rape victims: 

 1. Do you have a daughter? 

 2. Do you have a mother? 

 3. Do you have a sister? 

 4. Do you have a wife/girlfriend? 

Imagine the horror if any of those women in your life were victimized in such a heinous manner. How would you feel then? What would you do? Sit back and do nothing? Or stand by them and seek justice? Would you walk away? 

 Think about it, and be honest with yourself. 

Unless you are a complete sociopath, I'd be willing to bet that most men would want to go after the attacker, utilizing overzealous "manly" vengeance, violence and threats stemming from a "testosterone-high". 

Those male fears of their loved ones considered as "used" non-virginal trash, the "Scarlet Letter" reputation, society seeing them as "whores", rejected as "non-marriage material--a/k/a, the "Madonna/Whore Complex" have been around for centuries and still shape attitudes. 

I'd like to think for most men, anger and empathy should be an inherent reaction to protect the women in their lives. Society judging and disrespecting the women they love and respect is their biggest fear. 

The most important part of my job as a mother raising a young son is to teach him respect and admiration towards women. 

We give life to our sons, why do some adapt such a cruel thought/belief pattern against the kind gender that brought them life, nurtured them, loved them unconditionally and taught them to be decent adults?

Where, as a society, have we gone wrong? 

Yes, it is official...chivalry in every aspect is dead. 

 STUDY REVEALS MEN LACK SYMPATHY FOR RAPE VICTIMS 

June 24, 2009 

British Psychological Society

Men blame male victims of rape for not fighting off their attacker. This is one of the findings of Dr Michelle Davies and Dr Paul Rogers from University of Central Lancashire who will present their research at the British Psychological Society's Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference today, Wednesday 24th June 2009. 

The conference is being held the University of Central Lancashire, Preston. This study focussed on attitudes of blame towards rape victims in different scenarios, including drug-assisted-rape. 301 participants (150 men and 151 women, with an average age 23) read a scenario in which victim gender, sexuality, and whether the victim was awake or asleep at the time of the assault were manipulated. 

They were than asked to complete a questionnaire on blame. The results showed that men had less sympathy for rape victims overall and tended to blame the victim more than women did. In particular men were blamed for not fighting back. 

 VERY SURPRISING AND TELLING ATTITUDE 

 The men questioned in the study classed assaults on gay men as the least serious especially if the victim was conscious. 

 Dr Davies commented: 'Rape is a heinous crime and the process of gaining a conviction can be almost as traumatic. Knowing certain victims in certain situations are blamed more than others gives those involved in treating victims a "head start" in knowing what types of reactions victims might face.' 

Source British Psychological Society 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155181.php 

http://michellesaysso.blogspot.com