Violent Attacks and Damaged Victims: An Exploration of the Rape Scripts of European American and African American U.S. College Women
Published online on February 25, 2016
Abstract
Scripts are influential in shaping sexual behaviors. Prior studies have examined the influence of individuals’ rape scripts. However, these scripts have not been evaluated among diverse groups. The current study examined the rape scripts of African American (n = 72) and European American (n = 99) college women. Results supported three rape scripts: the "real rape," the "party rape," and the mismatched intentions rape, that were equally common. However, there were some differences, with African Americans’ narratives more often including active victim resistance and less often containing victim vulnerability themes. Societal and cultural influences on rape scripts are discussed.