Attitudes Toward Rape Victims Scale

1. A raped woman is a less desirable woman.
2. The extent of the woman’s resistance should be the major factor in determining if a rape has occurred.
3. * A raped woman is usually an innocent victim.
4. Women often claim rape to protect their reputations.
5. * “Good” girls are as likely to be raped as “bad” girls.
6. Women who have had prior sexual relationships should not complain about rape.
7. *Women do not provoke rape by their appearance or behavior.
8. Intoxicated women are usually willing to have sex.
9. It would do some women good to be raped.
10. *Even women who feel guilty about engaging in premarital sex are not likely to claim rape falsely.
11. Most women secretly desire to be raped.
12. *Any female may be raped.
13. Women who are raped while accepting rides from strangers get what they deserve.
14. Many women invent rape stories if they learn they are pregnant.
15. *Men‚ not women‚ are responsible for rape.
16. A woman who goes out alone at night puts herself in a position to be raped.
17. Many women claim rape if they have consented to sexual relations but have changed their minds afterwards.
18. Accusations of rape by bar girls‚ dance hostesses and prostitutes should be viewed with\ suspicion.
19. *A woman should not blame herself for rape.
20. A healthy woman can successfully resist a rapist if she really tries.
21. Many women who report rape are lying because they are angry or want revenge on the accused.
22. *Women who wear short skirts or tight blouses are not inviting rape.
23. Women put themselves in situations in which they are likely to be sexually assaulted because they have an unconscious wish to be raped.
24. Sexually experienced women are not really damaged by rape.
25. In most cases when a woman was raped she deserved it.
 
  • Rape
  • Violence
This instrument can be found on pages 23-24 of Measures for the assessment of dimensions of violence against women: A compendium Compiled by Michael Flood‚ available online at: http://www.svri.org/measures.pdf
 
 
Disagree strongly‚ Disagree mildly‚ Neutral (neither agree nor disagree)‚ Agree mildly‚ Agree strongly. Range 0-100
*Items are reversed scored.
 

Ward‚ C. (1988). The Attitudes toward Rape Victims Scale: Construction‚ validation‚ and cross-cultural applicability. Psychology of Women Quarterly‚ 12‚ 127-146.

 
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