Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Health

Why victim blaming is so common in sexual harassment — study sheds light on perpetrator empathy

Men's empathy for other men is likely at play, the new study suggests.

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
August 20, 2019
in Health, Mind & Brain, News, Psychology

The MeToo movement has highlighted the widespread problem of men’s sexual harassment of women, and the common phenomenon of victim blaming. A new research based on two studies reveals the impact of misplaced empathy.

Credit: Pixabay.

The dark side of empathy

Although our society has made some progress, we still have a long way to go when it comes to dealing with sexual harassment. It happens disarmingly often, in all environments, and typically gets unpunished.

Women are usually reluctant to make a sexual-harassment complaint — and when they do, they often encounter victim-blaming attitudes, especially from men. To highlight these attitudes and the dark side of the empathy that fuels them, researchers devised two studies.

In the first study, participants responded to a story about a male student’s harassment of a female student. Men blamed the victim more than women, which researchers interpret through a greater empathy for the male perpetrator and not lesser empathy for the female victim (as is the conventional knowledge).

In the second study, participants were asked to focus on either the man’s or the woman’s point of view in the same situation. Both men and women tended to focus on the male perpetrator’s perspective, again indicating greater empathy for men, which suggests greater empathy for the perpetrator. Again, taking the man’s perspective leads to more female blaming.

“It is widely assumed that a lack of empathy for female victims explains why people blame them, but we actually found that empathy for the male sexual harasser was a more consistent explanation of variability in victim blame.

It’s important to note that overall, victim blaming wasn’t high overall — but the fact that it exists at significant levels (something which has also been consistent with past research) is concerning. This is where societal interventions can be carried out, researchers stress.

“Media reports of sexual harassment – especially involving male perpetrators – often focus on their point of view and the potential damage to their lives for being outed as a sexual harasser,” Dr. Bongiorno added.

In addition to policy and media awareness, it’s important that each and every one of us is aware of these effects.

“To improve responding, everyone but especially men, should be mindful that their empathy for a male sexual harasser can increase their likelihood of blaming women for being sexually harassed. And victim-blame continues to make it very difficult for women who are sexually harassed to come forward and get a fair hearing when they do.”

The study “Why Women Are Blamed for Being Sexually Harassed: The Effects of Empathy for Female Victims and Male Perpetrators” has been published in Psychology of Women Quarterly.

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Related posts:
  1. Sexual assault and harassment has long-lasting consequences on women
  2. Antarctic stations are plagued by sexual harassment – it’s time for things to change
  3. Rat empathy is surprisingly like human empathy — including the negative aspects
  4. Physics sheds light on the 20-second handwashing rule. Here’s why it’s so effective
  5. Empathy gap: study shows women are more attuned to others’ feelings
Tags: empathymetoosexual harassment

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW