ABSTRACT

Jurors are less likely to believe a victim of rape when the events she describes are inconsistent with the rape stereotype and appear more consistent with what occurs in consensual sex. This research investigated whether presenting stereotype-consistent events early in a victim’s testimony can lead jurors to evaluate the other events described as depicting rape. In Study 1, a convenience sample recruited at a university (N = 217) watched a video testimony in which the assault was presented first or last. Participants also evaluated the degree to which the events described depicted rape or consensual sex as they heard them unfold. Results showed that participants who watched the assault-first testimony categorised most of the testimony as depicting rape. However, there were no differences between conditions in participants’ rating of guilt. In Study 2, we aimed to replicate the findings of Study 1 using community members (N = 225) and investigate whether varying the order of events impacted memory of the testimony and organisation of the events into a coherent story. The results of Study 1 replicated and those presented with the assault first remembered fewer details and took longer to create a story. Recommendations for trial interventions are discussed.

摘要

当她描述的事件与强奸刻板印象不一致并且看起来更符合自愿性行为中发生的事情时，陪审员不太可能相信强奸受害者。这项研究调查了在受害人证词中尽早呈现与刻板印象一致的事件是否可以引导陪审员评估其他描述为描述强奸的事件。在研究 1 中，在大学招募的便利样本 ( N = 217) 观看了视频证词，其中首先或最后出现了攻击。参与者还评估了所描述的事件描述强奸或自愿性行为的程度，因为他们听到了这些事件的展开。结果显示，观看先发攻击证词的参与者将大部分证词归类为描述强奸的证词。然而，参与者的内疚等级在不同条件下没有差异。在研究 2 中，我们旨在使用社区成员 ( N = 225) 并调查改变事件的顺序是否会影响对证词的记忆和将事件组织成一个连贯的故事。研究 1 的结果重复了，那些首先接受攻击的人记住了更少的细节，并且需要更长的时间来创造一个故事。讨论了试验干预的建议。