Pornography viewing as a Predictor of Rape Myth Acceptance and Rape Proclivity as Mediated by Gender Role Acceptance

Sexual assault is one of the most prevalent crimes committed in the United States and even more prevalent among college campuses today. Equally as prevalent in the United States is the consumption of pornography among college age males. Pornography tends to be a subject of controversy due to its depiction and treatment of women, as exemplified by aggressive and hostile behaviors towards women within pornographic films. Because much of the messages and behaviors within pornography are consistent with legal definitions of rape and sexual assault, and many college aged males watch pornography regularly, it is plausible that viewing certain forms of pornography may contribute to males’ perceptions of sexual assault. The goal of the present study is to investigate the influence of pornography viewing on rape supportive beliefs among college-aged males. Participants were administered online measures assessing demographic information, rape myth acceptance, rape proclivity, gender roles, and pornography viewing. We hypothesize that consumption of aggressive pornography will be positively associated with rape myth acceptance and rape proclivity. Additionally, we propose that the relationship between pornography viewing and rape myth acceptance and rape proclivity will be mediated by participants’ adherence to gender roles. Data collection is currently ongoing. Preliminary analyses suggest positive associations between viewing of pornography with aggressive content and rape myth acceptance and rape proclivity. Results will enhance our understanding of factors that contribute to rape supportive beliefs and may have important implications for potential targets in sexual assault prevention