Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Jennifer Ma

Reader 2

Heejung Park

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© 2024 Janey Matejka

Abstract

The present study sought to investigate whether there are differences in the perceptions of Asian American women as victims/survivors of sexual assault compared to White American women, as well as which factors may influence any differential attitudes. This study utilized an online survey format to present participants with a sexual assault vignette that featured either an Asian American woman or a White American woman as the victim. Participants (N = 256) were asked to assign blame to the victim and the perpetrator, as well as to categorize the vignette as either a crime or not. In addition, participants responded to measures of their endorsement of rape myths and stereotypes about Asian Americans. It was found that participants who were neither White nor Asian blamed the Asian American victim significantly more than the White American victim, although no differences in perpetrator blaming were found. Among Asian and White participants, this research did not demonstrate differential blaming based on victim race. The results of the study demonstrate that there is a tendency to blame Asian American women more than White American women for their sexual assaults, though this effect was not established for all participants. This finding has huge implications for the legal system, the healthcare of Asian American women, and broader society.

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