TY - JOUR
T1 - Beauty and the Eye of the Beholder
T2 - Gender and Attractiveness Affect Judgments in Teacher Sex Offense Cases
AU - Mackelprang, Emily
AU - Becker, Judith V.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, © The Author(s) 2015.
PY - 2017/6/1
Y1 - 2017/6/1
N2 - The present study investigated the effects of gender and attractiveness on judgments of bail requirements, incarceration, and sex offender registration lengths, and attitudes toward offenders and victims in a teacher–student sexual perpetration scenario. Researchers presented 432 undergraduate students at a large southwestern university with one of four vignettes detailing a sexual relationship between a 35-year-old teacher and a 14-year-old student. Vignettes varied by both attractiveness and gender of the offender (using heterosexual offender–victim dyads). Results indicate that both gender and attractiveness affect judgments of sex offenders; specifically, female sexual offenders were viewed more leniently and judged less punitively than male sexual offenders. Although attractive female sexual offenders were given particularly lenient treatment, attractiveness did not affect judgments toward male sex offenders. In addition, although male and female participants tended to rate male offenders similarly, male participants were more lenient toward female offenders than were female participants. Finally, post hoc analyses revealed that, for many variables, unattractive female sexual offenders may not be viewed differently from male sexual offenders. These results have serious implications for the legal system, sex offender management, and societal views regarding male and female sexual offenders and their victims.
AB - The present study investigated the effects of gender and attractiveness on judgments of bail requirements, incarceration, and sex offender registration lengths, and attitudes toward offenders and victims in a teacher–student sexual perpetration scenario. Researchers presented 432 undergraduate students at a large southwestern university with one of four vignettes detailing a sexual relationship between a 35-year-old teacher and a 14-year-old student. Vignettes varied by both attractiveness and gender of the offender (using heterosexual offender–victim dyads). Results indicate that both gender and attractiveness affect judgments of sex offenders; specifically, female sexual offenders were viewed more leniently and judged less punitively than male sexual offenders. Although attractive female sexual offenders were given particularly lenient treatment, attractiveness did not affect judgments toward male sex offenders. In addition, although male and female participants tended to rate male offenders similarly, male participants were more lenient toward female offenders than were female participants. Finally, post hoc analyses revealed that, for many variables, unattractive female sexual offenders may not be viewed differently from male sexual offenders. These results have serious implications for the legal system, sex offender management, and societal views regarding male and female sexual offenders and their victims.
KW - attractiveness
KW - female sex offenders
KW - gender
KW - sexual offending
KW - statutory rape
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019215052&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85019215052&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1079063215597646
DO - 10.1177/1079063215597646
M3 - Article
C2 - 26239520
AN - SCOPUS:85019215052
SN - 1079-0632
VL - 29
SP - 375
EP - 395
JO - Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment
JF - Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment
IS - 4
ER -