April 7-9, 2022 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Abstract: An Examination of the Relationship between the Belief in Rape Myths and Disclosure of Sexual Assault in the MeToo Era among College Students
This study examines the relationship between rape myth acceptance and disclosure of sexual trauma among undergraduate students in the MeToo era. Rape myths are misinformation about sexual assault and trauma based on toxic sexualization and heteronormative gender tropes. Extant literature exists on adherence to rape myths and factors that impact a survivor’s decision to disclose experiences with sexual violence. In addition, scholarship has found that disclosure is beneficial to the survivor’s health and well-being when met with supportive communication. However, what is less explored within the academic literature is that a survivor’s adherence to rape myths influences the likelihood of disclosing an experience of sexual assault or trauma. Therefore, in the context of the MeToo era, this study seeks to understand the relationship between rape myth adherence and disclosure. We conducted this study among undergraduate students enrolled in communication classes. Our analysis, based on survey responses of 579 undergraduate students, demonstrates that while rape myth adherence was generally low among the sample, there is a relationship between an individual’s belief in rape myths and the likelihood of disclosing an assault. However, the association between disclosure and rape myth adherence is significant only for a small sub-set of rape myths and those that describe perpetrator rather than victim behavior. When asked about reasons for not disclosing, students who indicated that they would not disclose because sexual assault is a “private matter” adhered more strongly to rape myths than those who did not indicate that privacy was a barrier to disclosure. Finally, we note that the rape myths that suppress survivors’ disclosure rely on beliefs about men’s “innate” ability to control their behavior and their sexuality. In other words, male perpetrators are excused from responsibility because of traditional gender scripts based on stereotypical assumptions about hypersexuality as the norm for masculinity. With over 60% of our sample indicating that they have received a disclosure from someone who has experienced sexual assault, this study also contributes to the scholarship about the experiences of receiving disclosure about sexual assault and providing social support to survivors. Our study encourages further research around the process of disclosure, particularly online disclosure (i.e., #MeToo), and the experiences of receiving and providing social support. The perpetuation of rape culture in the MeToo era as a persistent barrier to disclosure and social support requires further investigation among health communication scholars. Moreover, prevention and intervention efforts that seek to disrupt cissexist and heterosexist myths about men’s and women’s sexual functions must be rooted in fact-based sex education.