The role of rape myth acceptance and belief in a just world on victim blame attribution: A study in Japan

Abstract

This study examined the moderating role of rape myth acceptance (RMA) and belief in a just world (BJW) on victim blame attribution in either an alleged stranger or date rape case. As hypothesized, RMA and BJW were both significant predictors of victim blame behavior for the Japanese college students who participated in the study. Further, Japanese participants blamed the victim of date rape more than the victim of the stranger rape. The similarities and differences between findings from this study and those from Western countries are discussed.