Defensive Attribution Hypothesis

Introduction Sexual assault and rape are some of the most recurring problems in our modern society which needs immediate attention. Research indicates that of five women, one of them is likely to be a victim of rape or attempted rape. Therefore, rape cases are rising more quickly than expected. This study explores some variables which scholars have considered to be related to a rape victim in different perspectives. Some of these variables include sexuality, resistances of the victims, professional standards and gender role attitudes. This article provides a summary of different rape myths and theories established through previous studies. The approaches are of great importance since they interpret of the results, enabling the public and

This theory mentions that the world is a peaceful place where individuals get what they require. Therefore, blaming the rape victims gives them what they deserve for their wrongdoings, therefore creating a sense of order and control to the rest of the society (Van der Bruggen & Grubb, 2014). The defensive attribution hypothesis gives the reasons why some rape victims get blamed. With this theory, the level of blame directed towards the victim is highly reliant on the similarity of identification on the victims. In cases that the observer and victim have some similarities, the victim is blamed less. The study emphasizes on rape victims' characteristics. Accordingly, significant blame is given to the victims if they happen to be of African American ethnicity since such observations were noted in the United States of America. The authors note that victim gender is an essential element which facilitates victim blaming. Therefore, many people have the feeling that only females get raped which is

The arguments are as well described in the lecture materials and the textbooks, especially in Chapter 10 of "Crime Victims: An introduction to Victimology". The study also surrounds previous investigations that are critical in establishing sound judgment over the same.

Thoughts and Opinions In my opinion, the findings of the research establish that some rape victims need to be blamed for their victimization and consequently, as explained above, there exist diverse elements that facilitate a level to which some individuals get blamed for the rape. Therefore, such blame attributions might possess a negative implication to the victims and the perpetrators on an equal measure which I think should not be primarily used when treating the victims (Karmen, 2012). As mentioned by Davies and Rodgers (2006), such attritions if used might subject the survivors to secondary victimization.

Questions Raised by the