Since rape myths were codified in 1980 (Burt, 1980), scholars have shown that individuals who endorse rape myths perceive victims as less credible and more responsible for rape and perpetrators as less responsible. Studies also show that rape myths hinder successful adjudication of rape cases by influencing juries’ assessments of perpetrator guilt (Dinos et al., 2015). While most of this research focuses on sexual assaults involving adult victims, some scholars have found that victims as young as 12 are blamed for rape. If rape myths influence the perceptions of sex offenses even when victims are children, then defense attorneys in child sexual abuse (CSA) cases may be motivated to highlight rape myth in CSA trials. In the current study, we conducted a content analysis of the cross-examinations of 122 children, aged 6 to 17, alleging CSA to determine if and how defense attorneys question children about rape myths. We looked for questions about force and resistance, motives to lie, victim precipitation, and character issues (e.g., habitual drug use). We found that defense attorneys commonly referenced rape myths in CSA trials. A total of 10% of all defense attorneys’ lines of questioning referenced a rape myth, and attorneys asked 77% of children at least one rape myth line of questioning. Whether or not attorneys asked about different myths and the content of these questions varied by children’s age. Our findings indicate that defense attorneys use rape myths strategically to undermine children’s credibility in CSA trials, but they adapt (adult) rape myths in ways that are plausible in the CSA context. Policies formed to prevent the prejudicial impact of rape myths at sexual assault trials involving adults (e.g., rape shield laws) may not adequately prevent their impact in CSA trials. Prosecutors, therefore, should address rape myths at CSA trials.

自从强奸神话在 1980 年被编入法典以来（Burt，1980），学者们已经表明，支持强奸神话的个人认为受害者的可信度较低，并且对强奸负有更多责任，而犯罪者则认为责任较小。研究还表明，强奸神话通过影响陪审团对犯罪者罪行的评估，阻碍了对强奸案的成功裁决（Dinos 等人，2015 年）。虽然这项研究的大部分集中在涉及成年受害者的性侵犯上，但一些学者发现，年仅 12 岁的受害者被指责为强奸罪。如果即使受害者是儿童，强奸神话也会影响对性犯罪的看法，那么儿童性虐待 (CSA) 案件的辩护律师可能会在 CSA 审判中强调强奸神话。在本研究中，我们对 122 名 6 至 17 岁儿童的交叉询问进行了内容分析，指控 CSA 确定辩护律师是否以及如何就强奸神话向儿童提问。我们寻找有关暴力和抵抗、撒谎动机、受害者沉淀和性格问题（例如，习惯性吸毒）的问题。我们发现，辩护律师通常在 CSA 审判中引用强奸神话。在所有辩护律师的提问中，共有 10% 提到了强奸神话，并且律师向 77% 的儿童询问了至少一个强奸神话的提问。律师是否询问了不同的神话以及这些问题的内容因儿童的年龄而异。我们的研究结果表明，辩护律师战略性地使用强奸神话来破坏儿童在 CSA 审判中的可信度，但他们以在 CSA 背景下合理的方式改编（成人）强奸神话。为防止强奸神话在涉及成年人的性侵犯审判中产生偏见影响而制定的政策（例如，强奸保护法）可能无法充分防止其在 CSA 审判中的影响。因此，检察官应该在 CSA 审判中解决强奸神话。