Me vs Other Girls: Internalized Misogyny and Rape Myth Acceptance Among Women

Abstract

This study aimed to determine how internalized misogyny influences rape myth acceptance among women. This investigation employed a quantitative correlational design. 396 college women between the ages of 18 and 25 who were studying at universities in Malang City were recruited using incidental sampling. This study employed two instruments to measure internalized misogyny and rape myth acceptance, Piggott’s Internalized Misogyny Scale (2004) and McMahon & Farmer’s Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (2011). A multiple linear regression test was used to test the hypothesis. The results of the data analysis demonstrated that internalized misogyny had a significant effect on women’s acceptance of the rape myth (F = 2209.310; p = 0.000 < 0.05; R2 = 0.944). The three dimensions of internalized misogyny, namely the devaluation of women (t = 47.731; p < 0.01), distrust of women (t = 51.762; p < 0.01), and gender bias in favor of men (t = 48.696; p < 0.01) partially influenced rape myth acceptance against women. Keywords: Internalized misogyny, Rape myth acceptance, Women