Child molesting: Variables relating to attribution of fault to victims, offenders, and nonparticipating parents

In this study variables relating to attribution of fault to child molestation victims, offenders, and nonparticipating parents were investigated. Previous researchers have demonstrated that people blame women who are raped, and numerous authors have blamed child molestation victims. Subjects were 180 male and 180 female volunteers attending a large northeastern state university. They read a description of child molesting in which victim's sex, victim's age (7, 11, or 15) and offender‐victim relationship (parent, acquaintance, or stranger) were varied among subjects. Subjects indicated how much fault they attributed to each person and stated their reasons. Four attitudinal scales were also administered, and subjects were asked if they were ever molested. Regarding attribution of fault to victims, a breakdown of the significant Subject's Sex x Victim's Sex x Victim's Age interaction revealed that male subjects attributed significantly more fault than female subjects to 15‐year‐old male victims, and 15‐year‐old male victims were blamed more often by male subjects than 15‐year‐old female victims. There was a significant main effect for victim's age, 15‐year‐olds being blamed more than 7‐ and 11‐year‐olds. The major reason for blaming victims was that they "should have resisted." Sexual conservatism and acceptance of interpersonal violence were positively correlated with fault ratings of victims. Subjects who had been molested blamed victims less than subjects who had not been molested. There are numerous significant findings regarding offenders and nonparticipating parents. Results indicate that both subjects' characteristics and victims' characteristics relate to how much victims are blamed. It is further suggested that blaming victims may contribute to a climate conducive to child molesting. Hopefully, a better understanding of the determinants of blaming the victims will lead to strategies for changing these attitudes.