The focus of this paper is to highlight and review the evidence surrounding common intimate partner rape (IPR) myths, their prevalence in society, and identify those who are most likely to endorse such beliefs. Six core IPR myths are discussed related to misconceptions surrounding (1) women’s decisions to remain in abusive relationships, (2) why women delay or never report IPR, (3) women’s perceived motivations when an IPR report is made, (4) a perceived lack of trauma that occurs as a consequence of this type of rape, (5) male sexual entitlement within intimate relationships, and (6) whether it is even possible to rape a marital partner. This article draws together a wealth of studies and research that evidence why such IPR myths are indeed factually inaccurate and examines how victims, justice professionals, police practitioners, and legal decision-makers endorsement of false beliefs pertaining to intimate partner rape serve to hinder various justice pathways. We discuss the consequences of rape mythology in so far as they create social barriers that prohibit the reporting of rape, impact the progression of an allegation through the criminal justice system and ultimately, obstruct rape victims’ access to justice. The review concludes by considering evidence regarding the possible benefits of education interventions in reducing the problematic influence of rape myths.

Sexual assault is a global problem, with the risk highest among university students. Bystander intervention preventing sexual assaults has primarily been researched using quantitative methods to understand what factors influence it. However, both sexual assault and bystander intervention are complex with many subtle and overlapping issues that, when analyzed qualitatively, can offer new insights. The current study aimed to explore and develop a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of students’ perceptions of sexual assault and bystander intervention across two universities, one in the United Kingdom and one in Australia. Thirty-nine university students (19 in the United Kingdom; 20 in Australia) took part in one-to-one semistructured interviews. Using inductive thematic analysis, two overarching themes were identified: (a) navigating the complex dynamics of sexual assault; and (b) decisions to intervene or not to intervene. Findings suggest that the complexity and ambiguity around sexual assault can forestall bystander intervention. As such, increasing education, awareness, and discussions around sexual assault and bystander intervention is vital to increase awareness of the problem and mobilize action from bystanders to prevent sexual assault.

Literature is sparse regarding men’s attitudes towards male sexual assault and the role that the sexuality of those involved may have. Despite the high prevalence of chemsex and GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) participation among men who have sex with men, no study has yet investigated attitudes towards such. Utilising a community sample of 141 UK men, participants were randomly assigned into one of six conditions based on victim sexuality (heterosexual or homosexual) and the drug used present during the sexual assault (chemsex, chemical submission, or no drugs). All participants completed the Male Rape Victim and Perpetrator Blaming Scale and Victim-Blaming Empathy Scale to measure victim-blame and empathy attributions. Results of a two-way MANOVA revealed a significant difference between participant gender and empathic ratings, with heterosexual participants significantly less likely to empathise than their homosexual counterparts. A non-significant difference was observed between the conditions alongside a non-significant interaction. Nevertheless, results indicate that victims in the chemsex condition, along with heterosexual victims, encountered the greatest victim-blaming attributions and the lowest rates of participant empathy overall. Findings overall appear to indicate a general decline in victim-blame attitudes towards men who have sex with men, though a level of uncertainty was apparent among the sample. Implications and limitations of the work are discussed alongside the importance of future research and psychoeducation interventions.

Bystander intervention and sexual assault research typically rely on self-reported intent to intervene. However, predicted behaviour can be considerably different from actual behaviour. Hypothetical scenarios are often utilised to remove extenuating circumstances, limiting insight into actual behaviour where those circumstances impact intervention. This paper discusses the development and evaluation of an innovative methodology to measure actual bystander behaviour when witnessing signs of an impending sexual assault. With careful attention paid to ethical considerations and participant safety, 13 participants were directly deceived about the true aim of the research. Utilising observational data and a funnelling debrief, the findings demonstrated varied reactions to sexual assault cues, from not noticing and therefore not intervening, to noticing and (in)directly intervening. Participants’ responses indicated they remained unaware of the deception until it was formally revealed, suggesting the methodology effectively realised the study’s aims. The funnelling debrief mitigated the adverse effects of the deception, with some participants reporting more confidence and motivation to intervene in the future. Further development of this methodology could create more interactive bystander intervention programmes that teach people to identify signs of a sexual assault, develop skills to safely intervene, and raise awareness about sexual violence.

A review of the violent knife crime literature suggests that the experiential perspective is one which has not been addressed in academic study. The research presented hereafter aims to address this literary gap and generate transferable knowledge relevant to the lived experience of violent knife crime. The experiential study of the single case within psychological research involves detailed examination of a particular event. Participant ‘J’ is the survivor of an extremely violent attack, involving the use of a knife, in his own home. J’s experience was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with reference to elements of the lifeworld: temporality, spatiality, intersubjectivity, and embodiment. Three themes were identified: 1. switching from past to present tense when relaying traumatic experience; 2. The presence of redemption sequences; and 3. making sense as a temporal process, which included an additional two subthemes—‘The long journey’ and ‘Seeking belongingness’. This case emphasises that the traumatic event is conceptualised as one part of a longer journey towards recovery, and that recovery itself is central to the experience of violent knife crime. Finally, the need to understand recovery as temporal process highlights the need to provide victims with appropriate support in order to avoid negative outcomes.