What Lies Behind Sexual Violence? Beliefs, Attitudes, and Risk Profiles

What is it about?

Why do some people engage in sexual violence? There is no single answer. However, certain beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors may increase the risk of perpetration. Understanding these factors is essential for preventing sexual violence and promoting relationships based on respect and consent. Sexual violence is a serious public health concern and a violation of human rights. Although many factors associated with sexual violence perpetration have been studied, they have often been examined in isolation. To gain a more comprehensive understanding, this research jointly examined three factors: problematic pornography use, attitudes toward sexual consent, and rape myth acceptance. The study included 383 cisgender, heterosexual Spanish men aged 18 to 61 years. Nearly one in three participants (34%) reported having perpetrated at least one act of sexual violence. Compared with men who reported no history of sexual violence, those with a history of perpetration reported greater rape myth acceptance, less positive attitudes toward sexual consent, and higher levels of problematic pornography use. However, men with a history of sexual violence perpetration did not all share the same characteristics. The researchers identified two distinct profiles: one characterized by lower risk and another by higher risk. The latter profile showed particularly high levels of rape myth acceptance, more negative attitudes toward sexual consent, and higher levels of problematic pornography use. This finding highlights an important point: there is no single pattern of characteristics associated with sexual violence perpetration, but rather different combinations of factors that may be related to these behaviors. Of all the factors examined, rape myth acceptance showed the most consistent association with the different forms of sexual violence assessed. Attitudes toward sexual consent were also relevant, particularly in distinguishing the higher-risk profile.

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Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash

Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Overall, the study highlights the complexity of sexual violence and the multiple factors associated with its perpetration. Prevention efforts should therefore focus not only on behaviors themselves, but also on the beliefs and attitudes that may justify or normalize sexual violence. Promoting consent education and challenging rape myths are essential steps toward preventing sexual violence and fostering more respectful and equitable relationships.

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