Students' Articulation of Subtle Rape Myths Surrounding Campus Sexual Assault

Abstract

We analyzed data from 6 focus groups held with undergraduate students at a large public Northeastern university for evidence of rape myths (RMs). Students spontaneously articulated 6 types of RMs in categories including excusing perpetrators, trivializing sexual assault incidents, and blaming victims. The findings indicate that despite continued efforts on college campuses to eliminate or reduce students' RM endorsement, these beliefs continue to exist among undergraduate students. Additionally, often students articulated RMs that were subtler than RMs measured with frequently used instruments, such as scale-based questionnaires.