Reducing Rape Myth Acceptance Through Educational Debunking

J Interpers Violence. 2026 Mar 28:8862605261429561. doi: 10.1177/08862605261429561. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Reducing rape myth acceptance (RMA) is essential to improve the treatment of victims and challenge the societal narratives that excuse sexual aggression. This study examined whether an educational intervention providing myth-debunking information could effectively reduce RMA. Participants first completed a pre-test assessing their agreement with a series of rape myth statements. They were then randomly assigned to either an educational intervention group, which received information designed to challenge common rape myths, or a control group, which received unrelated scientific content. RMA was reassessed immediately after the intervention (post-test) and again after a 2-week delay (follow-up). Results showed that participants in the intervention group exhibited a meaningful reduction in RMA scores both immediately and at follow-up, compared with the control group. These findings suggest that providing concise, evidence-based information may be an effective tool to reduce RMA over time.

PMID:41904627 | DOI:10.1177/08862605261429561