What is it about?
The review examines misconceptions about male rape in England and Wales since 1994, a significant year as it marked the legal recognition of male rape. Despite this, male rape reports remain low, possibly due to enduring myths. Researchers conducted a systematic review, analysing 11 studies to understand these myths, and found that false beliefs are connected to traditional gender roles and homophobic views. The review acknowledges limitations in these studies, such as their narrow focus and reliance on student samples. It concludes by recommending future research involving various groups and methodologies to challenge these myths and enhance awareness about male rape in England.
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Why is it important?
The review is really important because it looks at how people think about male rape in England since 1994, the year it was officially recognised as a crime. This is a big deal because not many men report rape, probably because there are a lot of wrong ideas about it. The review tries to understand these false ideas, especially how they are tied to old-fashioned views about men and homophobic attitudes. What's unique about this review is how it mixes different ways of studying this topic, like looking at numbers and listening to people's stories, to get a complete picture. It also points out that a lot of the past studies weren't perfect like they only asked students or focused on just one kind of rape situation. The review suggests that in the future, researchers should talk to a broader range of people, like professionals, survivors, and regular folks, and use different methods to get to the bottom of these myths. This is important because it can help change how people think about male rape and support victim-survivors better.
Perspectives
As an academic in forensic psychology, writing this review was important to me because I'm passionate about understanding and improving how we care for like male rape. By exploring and challenging the myths about male rape, I aimed to bring attention to this underreported issue and call for more diverse research. This is crucial for developing better support systems and policies, ensuring that all victim-survivors receive the attention and care they deserve in the field of forensic psychology.
Ngosa Kambashi
Bath Spa University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Adult male rape myths in England since 1994: A systemic mixed
methods review., Psychology Public Policy and Law, November 2023, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/law0000402.
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