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Η περίληψη βρίσκεται μέσα στο αρχείο PDF, Literature on sexual harassment and violence against women describes a variety of myths and stereotypes regarding partial or total responsibility of rape victims and their “enjoyment” of sexual violence. Rape stigma and rape myths are aspects of generalized attitudes toward victims of rape and rapists, while it seems that sexual violence remains a taboo in today’s western societies. This study explores Greek university students’ attitudes towards rape. A questionnaire created for the purpose of this study was administered to 950 Greek students at the University of Athens and at the University of Ioannina, divided into three groups: a group of students from the Faculty of Law, a group from Departments orientated to Humanistic and Social Sciences and a group of students from other Faculties and Departments of Applied Sciences. Factor analysis revealed four factors: “Rape victim’s responsibility”, “Defining the concept of rape”, “Rape motivation” and “Rapist’s characteristics”. In line with previous research findings, the results indicated that women were less accepting of conservative attitudestowards rape than men; they also seemed to reject attitudes of “blaming the victim” more, and to hold negative views of rapists. Additionally, the results showed that students of rural origin retain more conservative attitudes with respect to the victim’s responsibility and the rapist’s characteristics than students of urban origin. Finally, students in Law Departments seemed to have accepted more moderate attitudes than the other two groups of students; they mostly disagree with conservative attitudes regarding victim’s responsibilities along with the Social Science students, but they agree more with Applied Sciences students in defining rape.

Research shows that the majority of reported rapes is never continued for prosecution but is closed during the police investigation. Studies suggest that rape assaults corresponding to stereotypes about “the real rape” and “the good victim” have a higher likelihood of continuing for prosecution. The aim of the present study was to investigate, if selected characteristics of rape stereotypes influenced investigational outcomes within a Danish police district participating in a multidisciplinary rape response team. The study was based on all reported rapes or rape attempts within a Danish police district over a three-year period (n = 248). Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate, if selected assault and victim characteristics influenced the likelihood of case continuing for prosecution. The following four prominent characteristics of rape stereotypes were selected for investigation: stranger perpetrator, no victim intoxication during the assault, presence of victim resistance and victim physical injuries, respectively. Results indicated that prominent characteristics of rape stereotypes significantly influenced whether the case was continued for prosecution. However, the independent effects of the investigated characteristics were not distinctively supportive of an investigative bias toward rape stereotypes. Even so, no victim intoxication during the assault and more physical injuries were found to increase the likelihood of case continuing for prosecution in this sample of reported rapes. Results are discussed in relation to the possible influence of a coordinated multidisciplinary rape response approach that characterized this sample.