Vem får bära skulden? En kvantitativ studie om skuldbeläggande av brottsoffer utsatta för våldtäkt

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to investigate whether an experimental manipulation, containing text from the media, affected the level of victim blaming of a victim of sexual assault. We also tested for gender differences in victim blaming. Finally, the relationship between sexism and victim blaming was examined in men. The design was cross-sectional, and participants (n = 331) were randomized to three different conditions; victim blaming, problematizing victim blaming, or control group. All participants answered a survey where two scales measured victim blaming and belief in sexism shift. The results supported the hypothesis that reading a text that blamed a victim of sexual assault made the readers score higher on the measure of victim blaming, both as compared to a group that read a text that problematized victim blaming and as compared to a control group. The results further showed that men (n = 56) were more likely to blame the victim, and scored higher on the belief in sexism shift, as compared to women (n = 276). We also found a strong relationship between sexism and victim blaming in men, such that men that who believed that men are now discriminated against in society were much more likely to put blame on a woman who was the victim of rape. Education and information about the consequences of victim blaming in rape is important when it comes to the possibility of reducing victim blaming. Thus, it is important to further inform and educate both the public and the judiciary about this.