Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Access Criminology and Criminal Justice journals now

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Social & Legal Studies
This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (4)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Finch, E.
Right arrow Articles by Munro, V. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

The Demon Drink and the Demonized Woman: Socio-Sexual Stereotypes and Responsibility Attribution in Rape Trials Involving Intoxicants

Emily Finch

Brunel University, UK

Vanessa E. Munro

University of Nottingham, UK

Previous studies have illustrated the existence of a double standard in the attribution of responsibility in contested sexual consent scenarios whereby intoxicated defendants tend to be held less responsible for subsequent sexual events than their sober counterparts while intoxicated complainants tend to be held more responsible. This study examined the extent to which the means by which the complainants' intoxication was secured would influence this process.1 Mock jurors, having been exposed to a trial reconstruction in which intoxicated sexual consent was at issue, deliberated towards a unanimous, or failing that, majority verdict on whether rape had occurred. Across the trial scenarios, the only variables related to the type of intoxicant ingested and the means of its administration. In a context in which the Sexual Offences Act 2003 purports to restrict reliance in the jury room on questionable stereotypes about socio-sexual behaviour, this article considers the extent to which participants' views about responsibility for intoxication shaped their conclusions on the occurrence of, and liability for, rape. It also examines the ways in which the social acceptability of some intoxicants (alcohol) and the social unacceptability of others (Rohypnol) supported the construction of `drug-assisted rape' as distinguishable from more mundane instances of intoxicated sex.

Key Words: attribution of responsibility • consent • intoxication • rape • Sexual Offences Act 2003

References

  • Abbey, A. (1991) `Acquaintance Rape and Alcohol Consumption on College Campuses: How Are They Linked?', American Journal of College Health 39: 165—70.
  • Abbey, A. and R. Harnish (1995) `Perceptions of Sexual Intent: The Role of Gender, Alcohol Consumption and Rape Supportive Attitudes', Sex Roles 32: 297—313.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Abbey, A., L. Ross, D. McDuffie and P. McAuslan (1996) `Alcohol, Misperceptions and Sexual Assault: How Are They Linked?', pp. 138—61 in D. Buss and N. Malamuth (eds) Sex, Power, Conflict: Evolutionary and Feminist Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Abbey, A., T. Zawacki, P. Buck, A. Clinton and P. McAuslan (2001) `Alcohol and Sexual Assault', Alcohol Research and Health 25(1): 43—51.
  • Amnesty International ( 2005) `Sexual Assault Research Summary Report' (prepared by ICM), URL: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=16618
  • Anderson, I., G. Beattie and C. Spencer (2001) `Can Blaming Victims of Rape be Rational? Attribution Theory and Discourse Analytic Perspectives', Human Relations 54(4): 445—67.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Anglin, D., K. Spears and H. Range Hutson (1997) `Flunitrazepam and its Involvement in Date or Acquaintance Rape', Journal of Academic Emergency Medicine 4: 323—6.
  • Berkowitz, A. (1992) `College Men as Perpetrators of Acquaintance Rape and Sexual Assault: A Review of Recent Research', Journal of American College Health 40: 175—81.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Bernat, J., K. Calhoun and S. Stolp (1998) `Sexually Aggressive Men's Responses to a Date Rape Analogue: Alcohol as a Disinhibiting Cue', The Journal of Sex Research 35(4): 341—8.
  • Bonazzoli, M. (1998) `Jury Selection and Bias: Debunking Invidious Stereotypes Through Science', Quinnipiac Law Review 18: 19—31.
  • Bradbury, T. and F. Fincham (1990) `Attributions in Marriage: Review and Critique ', Psychological Bulletin 107: 3—33.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Branscombe, N., M. Wohl, S. Owen, J. Allison and A. N'gbala (2003) `Counterfactual Thinking, Blame Assignment and Well-Being in Rape Victims', Basic and Applied Social Psychology 25: 265—73.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Braunack-Mayer, A. (2002) `The Ethics of Participating in Research', Medical Journal of Australia 177: 471—2.[Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Burt, M. and G. Albin (1981) `Rape Myths, Rape Definitions and Probability of Conviction', Journal of Applied Social Psychology 11(3): 212—30.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Calhoun, K. and R. Townsley (1991) `Attributions of Responsibility for Acquaintance Rape', pp. 57—70 in A. Parrot and L. Bechhofer (eds) Acquaintance Rape: The Hidden Crime. New York: Wiley.
  • Cameron, C. and W. Stritzke (2003) `Alcohol and Acquaintance Rape in Australia: Testing the Presupposition Model of Attributions of Responsibility and Blame', Journal of Applied Social Psychology 33(5): 983—1008.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Catania, J. (1997) `A Model for Investigating Respondent-Interviewer Relationships in Sexual Surveys', pp. 417—35 in J. Bancroft (ed.) Researching Sexual Behaviour: Methodological Issues Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
  • Chaikin, A. and J. Darly (1973) `Victim or Perpetrator? Defensive Attribution of Responsibility and the Need for Order and Justice', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 25: 268—75.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Corbin, W., J. Bernat, K. Calhoun, L. McNair and K. Seals (2001) `The Role of Alcohol Expectancies and Alcohol Consumption Among Sexually Victimised and Non-Victimised College Women', Journal of Interpersonal Violence 16(4): 297—311.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Cowan, G. (2000) `Women's Hostility Towards Women and Rape and Sexual Harassment Myths', Violence Against Women 6(3): 238—46.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Crowe, L. and W. George, (1989) `Alcohol and Human Sexuality: Review and Integration ', Psychological Bulletin 105: 374—86.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Davis, D. and E. Loftus (2004) `What's Good for the Goose Cooks the Gander: Inconsistencies Between the Law and Psychology of Voluntary Intoxication and Sexual Assault ', in D. Davis and E. Loftus (eds) Handbook of Forensic Psychology: Resources for Mental Health and Legal Professionals. Boston: Boston Academic Press.
  • Dowd, S., P. Janiak and A. Negrusz (2002) `The Behavioural and Cognitive Effects of Two Benzodiazepines Associated with Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault', Journal of Forensic Sciences 47: 1101—7.[Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Fillmore, M. (1984) `When Angels Fall: Women's Drinking as Cultural Preoccupation and as Reality', pp. 7—36 in S. Wilsnack and L. Beckman (eds) Alcohol Problems in Women: Antecedents, Consequences and Interventions. New York: Guilford.
  • Finch, E. and V. Munro (2003) `Intoxicated Consent and the Boundaries of Drug-Assisted Rape', Criminal Law Review: 773—87.
  • Finch, E. and V. Munro (2004) `The Sexual Offences Act 2003: Intoxicated Consent and Drug Assisted Rape Revisited', Criminal Law Review: 789—802.
  • Finch, E. and V. Munro (forthcoming) `Lifting the Veil: The Use of Focus Groups and Trial Simulations in Legal Research', Special Issue on `Researching Law and Justice: Case Studies in Empirical Socio-Legal Research', Journal of Law and Society.
  • Finney, A. (2004) Alcohol and Sexual Violence: Key Findings from the Research, Home Office Findings 215. London: HMSO.
  • Fischer, G. (1995) `Effects of Drinking by the Victim or Offender in a Simulated Trial of an Acquaintance Rape', Psychological Reports 77: 579—86.[Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Foley, L. and M. Pigott (2000) `Belief in a Just World and Jury Decisions in a Civil Rape Trial', Journal of Applied Social Psychology 30(5): 935—51.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Frinter, M. and L. Rubinson (1993) `Acquaintance Rape: The Influence of Alcohol, Fraternity Membership, and Sports Team Membership', Journal of Sex Education and Therapy 10: 272—84.
  • George, W., S. Gournic and M. McAfee (1988) `Perceptions of Postdrinking Female Sexuality: Effects of Gender, Beverage Choice and Drink Payment', Journal of Applied Social Psychology 18: 1295—317.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • George, W. and J. Norris (1991) `Alcohol, Disinhibition, Sexual Arousal and Deviant Sexual Behaviour', Alcohol Health & Research World 15: 133—8.
  • George, W.H., J.B. Skinner and G.A. Marlatt (1986) `Male Perceptions of the Drinking Woman: Is Liquor Quicker?', paper presented at Eastern Psychological Association, New York.
  • Goldman, M. and L. Roehrich (1991) `Alcohol, Expectancies, and Sexuality', Alcohol Health & Research World 15: 126—32.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Gomberg, E. (1982) `Historical and Political Perspective: Women and Drug Use', Journal of Social Issues 38: 9—23.[Web of Science]
  • Grubin, D. and J. Gunn (1990) The Imprisoned Rapist and Rape. London: The Institute of Psychiatry.
  • Hamilton, C. and J. Collins ( 1981) `The Role of Alcohol in Wife-Beating and Child Abuse: A Review of the Literature', pp. 253—87 in J. J. Collins (ed.) Drinking and Crime. New York: Guilford.
  • Heider, F. (1958) The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations. New York: Wiley.
  • Hepburn, J. (1980) `The Objective Reality of Evidence and the Utility of Systematic Jury Selection', Law and Human Behaviour 4: 89—101.[CrossRef]
  • Hindmarch, I. and R. Brinkmann (1999) `Trends in the Use of Alcohol and Other Drugs in Cases of Sexual Assault', Human Pyschopharmacology 14(4): 225—31.[CrossRef]
  • Hindmarch, I., M. Elsholy, J. Gambles and S. Salamone (2001) `Forensic Urinalysis of Drug Use in Cases of Alleged Sexual Assault', Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine 8: 197—205.
  • Janoff-Bulman, R. (1979) `Characterological Blame Versus Behavioural Self-Blame: Inquiries into Depression and Rape', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 37: 1798—809.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Kalven, H. and H. Zeisel (1966) The American Jury. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
  • Kanin, E. (1984) `Date Rape: Unofficial Criminals and Victims', Victimology 9: 95—108.
  • Kanin, E. (1985) `Date Rapists: Differential Sexual Socialisation and Relative Deprivation', Archives of Sexual Behaviour 14: 219—31.[CrossRef]
  • Kelly, L., L. Lovett and L. Regan (2005) `A Gap or a Chasm? Attrition in Reported Rape Cases', Home Office Research Study 293. London: HMSO.
  • Kerr, N. and R. MacCoun (1985) `The Effects of Jury Size and Polling Method on the Process and Product of Jury Deliberation', Journal of Personality & Social Psychology 48: 349—63.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Kleinke, C. and C. Meyer (1990) `Evaluation of a Rape Victim by Men and Women with High and Low Belief in a Just World', Psychology of Women Quarterly 14: 343—53.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Kramer, K. (1994) `Rule by Myth: The Social and Legal Dynamics Governing Alcohol-Related Acquaintance Rapes', Stanford Law Review 47: 115—57.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Labianca, D. (1998) `Rohypnol: Profile of the Date Rape Drug', Journal of Chemical Education 75: 719—22.[Web of Science]
  • Landrine, H., S. Bardwell and T. Dean (1988) `Gender Expectations for Alcohol Use: A Study of the Significance of the Masculine Role', Sex Roles 19: 703—12.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Lang, A. and W. Strizke (1997) `Attributions About Acquaintance Rape: The Role of Alcohol and Individual Differences', Journal of Applied Social Psychology 27(4): 279—305.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Leigh, B. (1995) `A Thing So Fallen, and So Vile: Images of Drinking and Sexuality in Women', Contemporary Drug Problems 22: 415—34.
  • Lerner, J. (1965) `Evaluation of Performance as a Function of the Performer's Reward and Attractiveness', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1: 355—60.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Lerner, J. (1980) The Belief in a Just World: A Fundamental Question. New York: Plenum.
  • Marx, B., A. Gross and H. Adams (1999) `The Effect of Alcohol on the Responses of Sexually Coercive and Noncoercive Men to an Experimental Rape Analogue', Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment 11(2): 131—45.[CrossRef]
  • Mills, L. (1973) `Six Member and Twelve Member Juries: An Empirical Study of Trial Results', Journal of Law Reform 6: 671—711.
  • Mosher, D. and R. Anderson (1986) `Macho Personality, Sexual Aggression and Reactions to Guided Imagery of Realistic Rape', Journal of Research in Personality 20: 77—94.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Muehlenhard, C. and M. Linton (1987) `Date Rape and Sexual Aggression in Dating Situations: Incidence and Risk Factors', Journal of Counselling Psychology 34: 186—96.[CrossRef]
  • Murphy, S. (1992) `Assisting the Jury in Understanding Victimisation: Expert Psychological Testimony on Battered Women Syndrome and Rape Trauma Syndrome', Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems 25: 277—312[Web of Science]
  • Nario-Redmond, M. and N. Branscombe (1996) `It Could Have Been Better or It Might Have Been Worse: Implications for Blame Assignment in Rape Cases', Basic and Applied Social Psychology 18: 347—66.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Norris, J. and L. Cubbins (1992) `Dating, Drinking and Rape: Effects of Victims' and Assailants' Alcohol Consumption on Judgments of their Behaviour and Traits ', Psychology of Women Quarterly 16: 179—91.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Payne-James, J. and D. Rogers (2002) `Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault, "Ladettes" and Alcohol', Journal of Society and Medicine 95: 326—7.[CrossRef]
  • Richardson, D. and J. Campbell (1982) `Alcohol and Rape: The Effect of Alcohol on Attributions of Blame for Rape', Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 8(3): 468—76.[Abstract]
  • Richardson, D. and G. Hammock (1991) `Alcohol and Acquaintance Rape', pp. 83—95 in A. Parrot and L. Bechhofer (eds) Acquaintance Rape: The Hidden Crime. New York: Wiley & Sons.
  • Ross, L. (1977) `The Intuitive Psychologist and his Shortcomings: Distortions in the Attribution Process', in L Berkowitz (ed.) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. New York: Academic Press.
  • Schwartz, R., R. Miltear and M. LeBeau (2000) `Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault ', Southern Medical Journal 93: 558—61.[Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Scott-Ham, M. and F. Burton (2005) `A Study of Blood and Urine Alcohol Concentrations in Cases of Alleged Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault in the UK over a 3-Year Period', Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine 13: 107—11.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Scully, D. and J. Marolla (1984) `Convicted Rapists' Vocabulary of Motive: Excuses and Justifications', Social Problems 31: 530—44.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Shaver, K. (1990) `Defensive Attribution: Effects of Severity and Relevance on the Responsibility Assigned for an Accident', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 17: 101—14.
  • Shortland, R. and L. Goodstein (1983) `Just Because She Doesn't Want to Doesn't Mean It's Rape: An Experimentally Based Causal Model of the Perception of Rape in a Dating Situation', Social Psychology Quarterly 46: 220—32.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Slaughter, L. (2000) `Involvement of Drugs in Sexual Assault', Journal of Reproductive Medicine 45: 425—30.
  • Stormo, K., A. Lang and Q. Stritzke (1997) `Attributions about Acquaintance Rape: The Role of Alcohol and Individual Differences', Journal of Applied Social Psychology 27(4): 279—305.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Testa, M. and K. Parks (1996) `The Role of Women's Alcohol Consumption in Sexual Victimisation', Aggression and Violence Behaviour 1(3): 217—34.
  • Thornton, B. (1984) `Defensive Attribution of Responsibility: Evidence for an Arousal-Based Motivational Bias', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 46: 721—34.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Visher, C. (1987) `Juror Decision Making: The Importance of Evidence ', Law and Human Behaviour 11(1): 1—17.[CrossRef]
  • Wall, A. and R. Schuller (2000) `Sexual Assault and Defendant/Victim Intoxication: Jurors' Perceptions of Guilt', Journal of Applied Social Psychology 30(2): 253—74.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Wertheimer, A. (2001) `Intoxicated Consent to Sexual Relations', Law and Philosophy 20(4): 373—401.[Web of Science]
  • Workman, J. and E. Freeburg (1999) `An Examination of Date Rape, Victim Dress, and Perceiver Variables Within the Context of Attribution Theory', Sex Roles 41(3/4): 261—77.[CrossRef][Web of Science]
  • Zander, M. and P. Henderson (1993) `The Royal Commission of Criminal Justice: Crown Court Study', pp. 203—44 in Research Study No. 19. London: HMSO.
  • Zeisel, H. and S. Diamond (1974) `Convincing Empirical Evidence on the Six Member Jury', University of Chicago Law Review 41: 281—95.[CrossRef][Web of Science]

Social & Legal Studies, Vol. 16, No. 4, 591-614 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0964663907082737
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Social Legal StudiesHome page
L. Ellison and V. E. Munro
Of 'Normal Sex' and 'Real Rape': Exploring The Use of Socio-Sexual Scripts in (Mock) Jury Deliberation
Social Legal Studies, September 1, 2009; 18(3): 291 - 312.
[Abstract] [PDF]

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (4)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Finch, E.
Right arrow Articles by Munro, V. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?