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First published online October 20, 2010

True Colors: Police Officers and Rape Myth Acceptance

Amy Dellinger Page, PhDView all authors and affiliations
Volume 5, Issue 4
https://doi.org/10.1177/1557085110384108

Abstract

Institutionally, significant advancements in rape law reform have occurred. Culturally, police officers sometimes fail to adopt these changes. A survey designed to assess acceptance of rape myths was administered to 891 police officers in two southeastern states. The study found that the majority of police officers view the overall crime of rape as a serious one, however, approximately 6% provided sexist feedback that supports rape myths. These findings indicate that more work is needed in altering the attitudes of police officers.

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1.
1. Oregon was the first state to eliminate the marital exemption (Schulhofer, 1988). It persists in a few states. In the state of Tennessee, for example, a husband may only be charged with rape if armed with a weapon, if he inflicts physical bodily injury, or if the couple are living apart and one spouse has filed separation papers (Tenn. Code Ann. 39-13-507).
2.
2. A nolle is a case where a prosecutor decides not to prosecute. The records of the defendant’s arrest will be erased 13 months following the date the nolle is filed.
3.
3. Schuller and Stewart (2000) provide a more recent measure of police officers’ responses to sexual assault; however the focus of their study was related to varying levels of alcohol consumption on the part of the victim and perpetrator.
4.
4. It was later discovered that at least two of the four police departments that declined participation had launched sexual assault or domestic violence investigations against a police officer within the department.
5.
5. For a more detailed analysis of responses on the RMA-R and VCS, as well as differences in responses between male and female police officers, see (Page, 2007).

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Published In

Volume 5, Issue 4
Pages: 315 - 334
Article first published online: October 20, 2010
Issue published: October 2010

Keywords

  1. police officers
  2. rape myths
  3. rape law reform

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Authors

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Amy Dellinger Page, PhD
Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, [email protected]
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