Development of the Japanese Version of the Rape Excusing Attitudes and Language Scale and Comparison Between Rape Myth Acceptance in Japan and the U.S.

Rape myth acceptance (RMA) is the acceptance of false beliefs, stereotypes, and statements about rape victims, perpetrators, and the act itself. RMA positively predicts shame felt by victims and negatively predicts reports of sexual victimization. Knowledge about sexual violence changes over time; accordingly, psychometric scales measuring RMA should be updated. Hahnel-Peeters and Goetz developed the Rape Excusing Attitudes and Language (REAL) scale by updating the Illinois RMA Scale-a major instrument used in the United States. However, the REAL scale is not available in Japanese. Therefore, we developed and validated a Japanese version of the REAL scale, evaluated RMA in Japanese individuals (