Mitos sobre la violencia sexual contra mujeres en personal penitenciario chileno

Abstract

The current study aims to evaluate the level of acceptance of modern myths aboutsexual aggression (understood as stereotyped beliefs) against adult women victims, in acorrectional staff sample of 120 participants, involving officers and psychosocialprofessionals. Three different methods were used in order to gain reliability: a Chileanshorter version of the AMMSA scale with 14 items; two vignettes describing sexualaggression scenarios, which emphasise and compare the relationship between victimand offender (acquaintance versus stranger); and finally, we asked for an estimation offalse allegations in adult sexual assault cases. The results show a high subjectiveperception of false reports, far higher from what scientific evidence has previously shown (2% to 10%), which is interpreted here as the prominence of the myth regardingwomen deceptiveness/ exaggeration about sexual violence. The results in AMMSAwere similar to those exhibited by general Chilean population, except by thepsychosocial professionals, who showed a diminished level of myths acceptance. Asexpected, educational level and gender played also a role in the results. Finally, theimplications of the results concerning the creation of future policies are discussed,especially the impact of the educational factor, together with the benefits of a multimethodapproach to the study of beliefs about sexual violence which would allow abetter approach to the limitations imposed by social desirability in the response.