Almost two-in-five men under the age of 25 believe rape victims are partly responsible if they were taking drugs or drinking alcohol, according to new research from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC).
Overall, 15 per cent of adults believe a person who is raped while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is at least partially responsible. Among men under 25 this rises to 37 per cent, and among women under 25 to 25 per cent.
By contrast, 88 per cent of adults agree that a perpetrator who is under the influence should be held just as responsible as one who is not.
Sceptical and victim-blaming attitudes are evident across the population, regardless of age or gender – at levels of 10 per cent to 20 per cent – but among men under 25 they are far more common, according to the survey.
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About one-in-five adults surveyed (19 per cent) believe there are “a lot” of false rape allegations made in Ireland. More than half (56 per cent) say they would believe someone who told them they had been raped while drunk or taking drugs – down from 60 per cent last year – while 35 per cent do not know how they would react.
The DRCC on Wednesday published the findings of its second annual national study of attitudes towards and experiences of rape and sexual violence in the Republic.
For the second year running, fear of not being believed is the biggest barrier the public identifies to survivors seeking support, cited by 82 per cent of adults.
Fewer than one in four (22 per cent) believe victims of rape or sexual violence are treated fairly by the Irish justice system, and less than half (43 per cent) think Ireland is a country where victims can speak openly about what happened to them. Among women, that figure falls to 38 per cent.
Almost half of men aged 18 to 24 (48 per cent) believe there are “a lot” of false rape allegations, compared with the 19 per cent of adults overall. A third of young men say a rape should not be believed unless there is a guilty verdict in court (34 per cent compared to 12 per cent overall) or unless it has been reported to gardaí (31 per cent compared to 12 per cent overall).
Two-in-five young men (40 per cent) believe rape and sexual violence are exaggerated by the media (compared to 15 per cent overall), and 14 per cent say they would doubt someone who told them they had been raped while drunk.
“The findings on young men are the most striking in the research and underscore the need for engagement, engagement and leadership given that lasting attitudes are shaped early,” Rachel Morrogh, DRCC chief executive, said.
Next year the centre is to work on a new pilot programme to “engage with young men on positive masculinity”.
“We will work collaboratively with them to understand the root causes of their opinions and what interventions would help to give them a different worldview that is not so harmful to women and girls,” Morrogh said.
The widest gulf in the research is between young men and older women – 48 per cent of men aged 18 to 24 believe there are many false rape allegations, compared with 8 per cent of women aged 65 and over.
As to the view that someone who does not report to gardaí should not be believed, the gap among 18 to 24-year-olds is 31 per cent of men against 2 per cent of women of the same age.
“These attitudes have direct consequences for survivors,” a statement from the DRCC said.
Among those who have experienced rape, only 17 per cent reported it to the gardaí; 22 per cent sought medical treatment; and 28 per cent sought counselling or other support. About two in five (41 per cent) told only a friend or family member, and almost one-in-five (19 per cent) told no one at all.
The research surveyed 1,036 adults from August 31st to September 11th.
The DRCC can be contacted online or via its 24-hour helpline 1800 778888
