TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bieneck, Steffen
A1  - Krahé, Barbara
T1  - Blaming the victim and exonerating the perpetrator in cases of rape and robbery is there a double standard?
T2  - Journal of interpersonal violence : concerned with the study and treatment of victims and perpetrators of physical and sexual violence
N2  - Research in legal decision making has demonstrated the tendency to blame the victim and exonerate the perpetrator of sexual assault. This study examined the hypothesis of a special leniency bias in rape cases by comparing them to cases of robbery. N = 288 participants received descriptions of rape and robbery of a female victim by a male perpetrator and made ratings of victim and perpetrator blame. Case scenarios varied with respect to the prior relationship (strangers, acquaintances, ex-partners) and coercive strategy (force vs. exploiting victim intoxication). More blame was attributed to the victim and less blame was attributed to the perpetrator for rape than for robbery. Information about a prior relationship between victim and perpetrator increased ratings of victim blame and decreased perceptions of perpetrator blame in the rape cases, but not in the robbery cases. The findings support the notion of a special leniency bias in sexual assault cases.
KW  - criminology
KW  - leniency bias
KW  - rape
KW  - robbery
KW  - victim blame
Y1  - 2011
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/36827
SN  - 0886-2605
VL  - 26
IS  - 9
SP  - 1785
EP  - 1797
PB  - Sage Publ.
CY  - Thousand Oaks
ER  -