‘A lot of the time it’s dealing with victims who don’t want to know, it’s all made up, or they’ve got mental health’: Rape myths in a large English police force

Journal article


Gekoski, A., Massey, Kristina, Allen, Katherine, Ferreira, J., Dalton, Charlotte T, Horvath, Miranda and Davies, Kari 2023. ‘A lot of the time it’s dealing with victims who don’t want to know, it’s all made up, or they’ve got mental health’: Rape myths in a large English police force. International Review of Victimology. https://doi.org/10.1177/02697580221142891
AuthorsGekoski, A., Massey, Kristina, Allen, Katherine, Ferreira, J., Dalton, Charlotte T, Horvath, Miranda and Davies, Kari
AbstractDespite an increase in the reporting of rape, convictions in England and Wales have fallen significantly in recent years. Previous research has found high rape myth acceptance among police officers. Given that the police act as gatekeepers to the criminal justice system, subscribing to rape myths may have significant effects upon victim attrition and conviction rates. This study explores police officers’ use of rape myths and how these may impact investigations and prosecutions. A total of 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with police officers from a large English police force. The interview data were analysed using the qualitative method of thematic analysis. Although there were instances where officers demonstrated some awareness of the need to dispel or counter rape myths, rape myths were employed by most officers, with the most common relating to (1) victim fabrication (‘women lie’) and (2) victim precipitation (‘women ask for it’). Recommendations are made around screening and training for police officers.
KeywordsRape myths; Police officers; Victims; Rape myth acceptance; Investigation
Year2023
JournalInternational Review of Victimology
PublisherSAGE Publications
ISSN0269-7580
2047-9433
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/02697580221142891
Official URLhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02697580221142891
Publication dates
Online11 Jan 2023
Publication process dates
Deposited23 Jan 2023
Publisher's version
License
Output statusPublished
Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/93q30/-a-lot-of-the-time-it-s-dealing-with-victims-who-don-t-want-to-know-it-s-all-made-up-or-they-ve-got-mental-health-rape-myths-in-a-large-english-police-force

Download files


Publisher's version
02697580221142891.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0

  • 83
    total views
  • 33
    total downloads
  • 7
    views this month
  • 10
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

The impacts of working with victims of sexual violence: A rapid evidence assessment
Crivatu, I., Horvath, M. and Massey, Kristina 2021. The impacts of working with victims of sexual violence: A rapid evidence assessment. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211016024
Independant Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVA's) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: A study of impacts, effects, coping mechanisms and effective support systems for people working as ISVAs and ISVA managers
Massey, K. and Horvath, M.A.A.H 2021. Independant Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVA's) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: A study of impacts, effects, coping mechanisms and effective support systems for people working as ISVAs and ISVA managers. UK
Minimising trauma in staff at a Sexual Assault Referral Centre: what and who is needed?
Horvath, M., Massey, K., Essafi, S. and Majeed-Ariss, R. 2020. Minimising trauma in staff at a Sexual Assault Referral Centre: what and who is needed? Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine.
Young people, sexuality and the age of pornography
Massey, K., Burns, J. and Franz, A. 2020. Young people, sexuality and the age of pornography. Sexuality and Culture. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-020-09771-z
The problems of investigating rape as part of domestic abuse
Massey, K. and Foley, J. 2018. The problems of investigating rape as part of domestic abuse.
Staff experiences of working in a sexual assault referral centre: the impacts and emotional tolls of working with traumatised people
Massey, K., Horvath, M., Essafi, S. and Majeed-Ariss, R. 2019. Staff experiences of working in a sexual assault referral centre: the impacts and emotional tolls of working with traumatised people. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/14789949.2019.1605615
The effects of sexually explicit material on children and young people
Massey, K. 2018. The effects of sexually explicit material on children and young people.
The impact of witnessing other people's trauma: the resilience and coping strategies of members of the faculty of forensic and legal medicine
Horvath, M. and Massey, K. 2018. The impact of witnessing other people's trauma: the resilience and coping strategies of members of the faculty of forensic and legal medicine. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2018.02.012
Policing and mental health
Massey, K. 2015. Policing and mental health. in: Brunger, M., Tong, S. and Martin, D. (ed.) Introduction to policing research. Taking lessons from practice Abingdon, Oxon Routledge.
Police officers and post traumatic stress disorder: discussing the deficit in research, identification and prevention in England and Wales
Foley, J. and Massey, K. 2018. Police officers and post traumatic stress disorder: discussing the deficit in research, identification and prevention in England and Wales. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X18761284
The effects of sexually explicit material on children and young people
Massey, K. 2015. The effects of sexually explicit material on children and young people.
The impact of witnessing other people's trauma: resilience and coping strategies
Massey, K. and Horvath, M. 2014. The impact of witnessing other people's trauma: resilience and coping strategies. Rape, the Brain and Mental Health: Impact, Services and Care for Victims. Palace Hotel, Manchester 26 - 27 Feb 2014
The impact of pornography on young people
Massey, K. 2014. The impact of pornography on young people. Safeguarding Children Training Day. Milton Keynes 08 Sep 2014
Video nasties: the effects of sexualised and violent imagery on children and young people
Massey, K. 2014. Video nasties: the effects of sexualised and violent imagery on children and young people.
The effect of vicarious trauma on staff: best practice management and strategies
Massey, K. 2014. The effect of vicarious trauma on staff: best practice management and strategies.
“Basically... porn is everywhere”: a rapid evidence assessment on the effects that access and exposure to pornography has on children and young people
Horvath, M., Alys, L., Massey, K., Pina, A., Scally, M. and Adler, J. 2013. “Basically... porn is everywhere”: a rapid evidence assessment on the effects that access and exposure to pornography has on children and young people. Office of The Children's Commisioner.
Witnessing other people’s trauma: what is the real cost of vicarious traumatisation?
Massey, K. and Horvath, M. 2013. Witnessing other people’s trauma: what is the real cost of vicarious traumatisation?
Sexting: the challenges of policing the ever changing world of internet child pornography under austerity
Massey, K. 2013. Sexting: the challenges of policing the ever changing world of internet child pornography under austerity.
Video nasties: the effects of sexualised and violent imagery on children and young people
Massey, K., Alys, L., Pina, A., Scally, M. and Adler, J. 2013. Video nasties: the effects of sexualised and violent imagery on children and young people.
The effects of viewing pornography on children and young people
Massey, K., Horvath, M., Alys, L., Pina, A., Scally, M. and Adler, J. 2013. The effects of viewing pornography on children and young people. Community Care - Children and Families. Business Design Centre, London 14 Nov 2013
Investigative decision making: missing people and sexual offences, crossroads to an uncertain future
Alys, L., Massey, K. and Tong, S. 2012. Investigative decision making: missing people and sexual offences, crossroads to an uncertain future.
Criminal investigation and higher education: a crossroads to an uncertain future
Massey, K. and Tong, S. 2012. Criminal investigation and higher education: a crossroads to an uncertain future.
Investigative decision making: missing people and sexual offences, crossroads to an uncertain future
Tong, S., Massey, K. and Alys, L. 2013. Investigative decision making: missing people and sexual offences, crossroads to an uncertain future. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling. 10 (1). https://doi.org/10.1002/jip.1382
When chivalry backfires: benevolent sexism and attitudes toward Myra Hindley
Viki, G., Massey, K. and Masser, B. 2005. When chivalry backfires: benevolent sexism and attitudes toward Myra Hindley. Legal and Criminological Psychology. 10 (1), pp. 109-120. https://doi.org/10.1348/135532504X15277