Blaming the Victim or Respecting Autonomy? The Impact of Neoliberal Ideology and Gender Inequalities on Rape Myths Acceptance in Europe

The study explores how country-level gender equality and neoliberal ideology affect rape myth acceptance (RMA). It hypothesizes that gender equality reduces, while neoliberalism increases RMA. Using data from 22,978 respondents across 23 European countries, the study finds an interactional effect: in less gender-equal countries, stronger neoliberalism increases RMA, whereas in more gender-equal countries, it reduces RMA. This is attributed to different interpretations of individuality. Additionally, both gender equality and neoliberalism influence the impact of individual factors like gender, age, and life satisfaction on RMA. The study suggests further research should focus on contextual influences on RMA.