Six models of rape: An empirical analysis
Description
The research presented here provides an empirical test of six models of rape. These models are: (1) the social disorganization model, (2) a model which hypothesizes a southern subculture of violence, (3) a model which hypothesizes a racial subculture of violence, (4) a sexual inequality model, (5) a cultural model of rape, and (6) a model which hypothesizes a link between pornography and rape Results support the social disorganization model with over half of the variance in rape rates among Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSAs) explained. The models suggesting a southern subculture of violence and a racial subculture of violence both failed to achieve empirical support. The sexual-inequality model received only minimal support; occupational sex-segregation emerged as the only significant predictor of rape rates. The cultural model also received minimal support. Finally, the hypothesis which suggests a relationship between pornography and violence against women was not supported. The variables retained in the final model explained over sixty-two percent of the variance in rape rates