SALIENCE OF RAPE AFFECTS SELF-ESTEEM - THE MODERATING ROLE OF GENDER AND RAPE MYTH ACCEPTANCE

In two experiments, conducted in Germany and the U.S.A., it was found that exposure to a rape report lowered self-esteem and positive affect in women who do not accept 'rape myths' (stereotypical beliefs which blame the victim and exonerate the rapist; Burt, 1980). Men high in ra pe myth acceptance (RMA) showed an increase in positive affect and sel f-esteem as a function of exposure to rape; men low in RMA and women h igh in RMA were largely unaffected. Both experiments demonstrated that these effects were specific to rape, as opposed to violence in genera l. These results support the feminist hypothesis that the threat of ra pe serves the function to exert social control over women and to susta in men's dominance. Potential cognitive mechanisms mediating the obser ved effects are discussed.