Attributions about Date Rape: Impact of Clothing, Sex, Money Spent, Date Type, and Perceived Similarity

This study was designed to investigate the independent and combined effects of clothing, sex of subject, money spent, type of date, and perceived similarity of female subjects to the victim on attributions made about a victim and a perpetrator of a date rape. A convenience sample of 703 college students participated (females = 518; males = 177; information missing = 8). Subjects were asked to read a vignette describing a date rape and to view a photograph of the victim. They were asked to make attributions concerning both the victim and the perpetrator. Males indicated to a greater extent than females that the victim wanted to have sexual intercourse. Males indicated to a greater extent than females that the victim led on the perpetrator. Subjects indicated a rape occurred to a lesser extent when the date was planned as compared to unplanned. Subjects indicated the perpetrator behaved violently to a greater extent when the date was unplanned as compared to planned. Females who indicated they were either like or not like the victim rated the victim higher on being able to do something to prevent the incident than did the females who were neutral. Females who indicated they were not like the victim indicated that the victim led the perpetrator on to a greater extent than those females who indicated they were neutral or like the victim. There were no significant findings related to clothing or money spent. 1995 American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences