Olika offer, lika skuld? En kvantitativ studie om skuldbeläggande av våldtäktsoffer

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to investigate, in a Swedish context, if the gender of a rape victim relates to how much blame they are attributed. Furthermore, to investigate if the gender, male and female, of the observer relates to how much blame they assign to the victim. Also if self-esteem and sexual orientation relates to how much blame victims are assigned. This was investigated through a quantitative method and an experimental manipulation. The study participants (n=144) responded to a survey which included a vignette depicting an acquaintance rape scenario where the victim was described as a male (n=74) or a female (n=70). The participants answered questions measuring victim blaming, self-esteem and stated their sexual orientation. The results revealed no significant difference in the degree of blame attributed to a male victim compared to a female victim. There was a significant difference regarding observer gender, where men attributed more blame to the victim compared to women. The result showed no significant relationship between self-esteem and victim blaming. Results revealed a significant relationship between age and victim blaming. The older the participant, the more blame was assigned to the victim. Potential explanations in relation to the results and the limitations of the study were discussed. It was noted that examination of both men and women as rape victims and the identification of underlying causes of victim blaming is crucial to help reduce this tendency.