A Social Identity Threat Perspective on Why Partisans May Engage in Greater Victim Blaming and Sexual Assault Myth Acceptance in the #MeToo Era. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ortiz, Rebecca R.; Smith, Andrea M.
• Is Part Of: Violence against women. Volume 28:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 1302
• Page End: 1325
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: sexual assault -- rape myths -- #MeToo movement -- political party -- victim blaming; Abused women -- Periodicals; Women -- Crimes against -- Periodicals; Violent crimes -- Periodicals; Femmes victimes de violence -- Périodiques; Femmes, Crimes contre les -- Périodiques; Crimes violents -- Périodiques; 362.8292
• DOI: 10.1177/10778012211014554
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-8012

Abstract

This study examined how U.S. partisans ( N = 1, 154) may engage in greater victim blaming and sexual assault myth acceptance to defend their political identities in the #MeToo era. The more Republicans and Democrats identified with being a member of their political party and reported feeling defensive when members from their political party are criticized, the more accepting they were of common sexual assault myths and thus the less likely they were to perceive sexual assault as a serious issue in need of addressing and the #MeToo movement as having a positive impact in the United States.