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Effects of Male Attractiveness and Sexual Attitudes on Women's Risk Perception

NCJ Number
239734
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2012 Pages: 249-263
Author(s)
Jenny K. Rinehart; Elizabeth A. Yeater
Date Published
March 2012
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study investigated several factors of women's risk perception, including male attractive, women's sexual attitudes and beliefs, and sexual victimization history.
Abstract
This study examined the effects of male attractiveness, sexual attitudes, and victimization history on women's ratings of sexual risk. Women with more liberal sexual attitudes rated vignettes as less sexually risky than women with more conservative sexual attitudes. There was an interaction between situational risk and attractiveness, suggesting the relationship between attractiveness and sexual risk ratings varies across high and low situational risk. Findings emphasize the importance of using high and low risk situations to evaluate sexual risk perception and of investigating variables that may moderate women's risk perception. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.