The Impact of Power and Disposition on the Evaluation of Sexual Assault

Rape myth acceptance has been connected to increased victim blaming and reduced perpetrator blame. However, variability exists in how scholars conceptualize relationships between rape myth stereotypes and assignment of victim and perpetrator blame. The current study sought to examine how social dominance orientation and personal and social power perceptions predict blame assignment in sexual assault scenarios among a community sample recruited from social media ( N  = 462). Social dominance orientation significantly predicted greater victim blame and lower perpetrator blame after controlling for sex assigned at birth, prior victimization, and knowledge of others’ victimization. Findings have applied implications for therapeutic interventions and system-level prevention.