Late adolescents' perspectives on marital rape: the impact of gender and fraternity/sorority membership.
Although recent studies of marital rape have examined both victims' and perpetrators' social and psychological characteristics, little attention has been directed to the attitudes of others toward marital rape. Using a systematic sample of college students, this study examined attitudes toward marital rape--in particular, the impact of gender and fraternity/sorority membership on respondents' (1) views regarding marital rape compared to rape by a stranger; (2) feelings about possible actions a woman who is a victim of marital rape can take; and (3) attitudes toward legislation pertaining to marital rape. It was found that college women were significantly more likely than college men to say they strongly agree that marital rape and stranger rape should be treated as similar crimes. In addition, nonfraternity men were significantly more likely than fraternity men to indicate that they strongly approve of marital rape legislation and that husbands who perpetrate marital rape should be prosecuted. Sorority membership had little impact on women's responses.
Auster
C J
CJ
Department of Sociology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604, USA. c_auster@fandm.edu
Leone
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors