How Stories and Beliefs Shape Public Response to Sexual Assault

Did you know that the way we see sexual assault cases can depend on who the perpetrator is and what they say? Research shows that people's views on these cases are influenced by their beliefs about the fairness of society and the apology (or lack of it) from the accused. When higher-status people apologize less, audiences might still like them more, especially those who believe the current social system is fair. This experiment with U. S. adults found that people with stronger beliefs in the fairness of society tended to favor perpetrators over victims, whether the perpetrator was high or low status.

Surprisingly, more apology made both the perpetrator and victim seem more likable, while less apology made the assault appear less serious. Interestingly, less apology also made the assault seem less the perpetrator's fault. These findings highlight how much our perceptions of sexual assault are shaped by the stories we hear and our thoughts about how fair society is.

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