Scenario Research

Scenario research on acquaintance rape typically has explored various aspects of a woman’s appearance and behavior while neglecting character­istics of the man (Calhoun & Townsley, 1991). One independent variable examined by researchers has been women’s early versus late verbalization of refusal. This research question suggests that a woman relinquishes the right to say no to sexual intimacy if she does not express her refusal im­mediately. Therefore, scenario research may reinforce the assumption that victim characteristics are crucial to understanding rape and also may un­knowingly contribute to victim blaming (Burt &. Albin, 1981). Although theorists have emphasized the importance of not inferring that a woman is to blame for a man’s assaultive behavior simply because her own behavior increased her risk of being raped (Calhoun & Townsley, 1991), scenario research continues to imply falsely that judgments of blameworthiness are more dependent on the victim than the perpetrator.