UNL psych study takes a look at rape
Posted By: Sarah Fili
sfili@klkntv.com
A new study published by UNL graduate psychology student Molly Franz takes a look at rape, investigating why women become victims at all. Her research team says cat-calling and objectification of women may start the process.
"Repeated experiences of being sexually objectified, having rude comments made, leering and so forth is associated with women beginning to internalize those beliefs themselves and see themselves as a sexual object," David DiLillo, UNL psychology professor, said.
DiLillo says that belief can cause a lack of sexual assertiveness, or the ability to say no.
"Feeling like in sexual situations they aren’t able to express their own desires and making their own needs secondary to men and then that risk factor is a factor to sexual assault," DiLillo said.
The study also links how closely women monitor their appearance and an increased risk of being forced or coerced into sexual acts.
"As women are more frequently objectified and tune into their own appearance more and more because of that they may become preoccupied with those thoughts and be continually worried about how they’re looking how they’re coming across to other people and when they do that it may be more difficult to determine when situations are risky," DiLillo said.
Voices of Hope, an organization that works with sexual assault victims, had this to say about the first of its kind research:
“Our preliminary concern about this report is that while stating that the researchers are not blaming victims, it does appear to shift responsibility to the victim, specifically women, by implying that they were not assertive enough or willing enough to say no to their assaulter,” Patsy Martin, Voices of Hope Communications Coordinator, said.
While this study works to understand some of the reasons why women struggle to say "no," researchers say more research needs to be done.
To see the research, click here: http://psychology.unl.edu/tvalab/ABCT%20poster_Franz_11.14.14(1).pdf
