Minority Student Initiative - Sarah E. Malik

Sarah E. Malik

Sarah E. Malik is a first year doctoral student in Social Psychology at the University of Kentucky. She presented her paper, "Perceptions of Male Rape Victims as a Function of Victim Sexual Orientation and Gender,” at the AP-LS conference this year. Congratulations, Sarah!

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Abstract:
​We investigated perceptions of male rape victims as a function of victim sexual orientation and gender. Participants read a trial summary about a homosexual, heterosexual, or ambiguous male or a heterosexual female victim. Participants rendered a verdict and rated the victim and perpetrator on a variety of characteristics. Primary results indicated that (1) women had more pro-victim/anti-defendant judgments than men overall; (2) all participants were more pro- victim/anti-defendant in the case of a female victim compared to a male victim; and (3) participants were more pro-victim/anti-defendant in a case of a heterosexual victims than a homosexual or ambiguous victim.