Rape Awareness Scales

For Persons Who May Have

Perpetrated Sexual Assault

2003
Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D, LICSW
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA
jgilgun@umn.edu

Note: An intimate partner is a person you are relationship with and that includes caring and
a sexual relationship.
 Rape Awareness Scales

These scales are useful in social service programs with men who have physically assaulted
their intimate partners. An intimate partner is a person you are relationship with and that includes
caring and a sexual relationship. Some of these men may also have committed sexual assault. The
scales may help the men talk about their sexual assaults.
Details on the scale are at the end of the document. Many are based on scales that were
previously developed, while some are constructed for the purposes of this package of tools.

About the Author

Jane F. Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW, is professor, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities, USA. She does research on the meanings of violence to perpetrators, the
development of violent behaviors, and how persons overcome risks for violence. She has many
articles, books, and children’s stories available on Amazon Kindle, scribd.com/professorjane, and
stores.lulu.com/jgilgun. She also has many videos on youtube.com/jgilgun.

Emotional Connection Scale

How much do you agree with the following statements? Circle the number in the box that best fits
your answer.

Some of Most of
Never the time Usually the time Always
1. I love my partner. 1 2 3 4 5
2. I show affection to my partner. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I express my emotions freely to my
partner. 1 2 3 4 5
4. I discuss things that bother me with my
partner. 1 2 3 4 5
5. Discussing problems with my partner
helps. 1 2 3 4 5
6. I can count on my partner to listen when
I’ve got something on my mind 1 2 3 4 5

Sexual Behaviors Scale

How often are the following statements true for you?

Not Not
True true sure
1. Whenever my partner and I have sex, we both want it. 1 2 3
2. My partner touches my private parts after I tell him/her I don’t want
him/her to. 1 2 3
3. My partner has threatened to harm our children when I say I don’t
want to have sex with him. 1 2 3
4. My partner withholds affection from me if I don’t want to have sex
when s/he does 1 2 3
5. My partner respects my wishes when I say I am not in the mood to
have sex with him/her. 1 2 3
6. I take pleasure in satisfying my partner sexually. 1 2 3
7. My partner has sex with me whenever s/he wants, regardless of what
I want. 1 2 3
8. My partner has raped me. 1 2 3
2
 Consensual Sex Scale

Some
During the time we’ve been together… Never Rarely times Often Always
true true true True True
1. whenever my partner and I have sex, we both
want it. 1 2 3 4 5
2. my partner and I have a loving sexual
relationship. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I enjoy my sexual relationship with my partner.
1 2 3 4 5

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 Rape of Women Scale

Some- Some-
I believe… Strongly what what Strongly Don’t
agree agree disagree disagree Know
1. Rape means forcing sex on someone
without their consent. 1 2 3 4 5
2. Women who get raped did something to
deserve it. 1 2 3 4 5
3. In some rape cases, the woman actually
wanted it to happen. 1 2 3 4 5
4. If a woman doesn’t physically fight
back, you can’t really say it was a rape. 1 2 3 4 5
5. A lot of times, women say “no” when
they really mean “yes.” 1 2 3 4 5
6. Any healthy woman can successfully
resist a rapist if she really wants to. 1 2 3 4 5
7. If a woman engages in petting and
necking, she has to take some
responsibility if a man forces sex on her. 1 2 3 4 5

8. It’s just human nature for men to take

sex from women who put their guard down. 1 2 3 4 5
9. Any woman who teases a man sexually
gets what she deserves. 1 2 3 4 5
13. If a woman has been drinking alcohol or
using drugs, it is really her own fault if a
man has sex with her without her consent. 1 2 3 4 5
14. In most rapes, the victim has a bad
reputation. 1 2 3 4 5
15. When a woman is raped, she probably
did something to put herself in that 1 2 3 4 5
situation.
16. A rape probably didn’t happen if a
woman has no bruises or marks. 1 2 3 4 5
17. If a woman is raped, it’s probably
because she didn’t say “no” clearly enough. 1 2 3 4 5
18. Women often falsely accuse men of
rape. 1 2 3 4 5

4
 Partner Rape Myth Scale

Some- Some-
I believe… Strongly what what Strongly Don’t
agree agree disagree disagree Know
1. Once a man has had sex with a woman
on a regular basis, he should be able to
have sex with her whenever he wants. 1 2 3 4 5
2. Rape can happen in intimate partner
relationships. 1 2 3 4 5
3. It’s a woman’s duty to satisfy her
intimate partner’s sexual needs, whether or 1 2 3 4 5
not she is in the mood.
4. If a woman does not strongly resist her
intimate partner’s sexual advances, she is 1 2 3 4 5
willing to have sex.
5. A lot of times when a woman says “no”
to her intimate partners, she really means 1 2 3 4 5
“yes.”
6. Forcing an intimate partner to have sex
is no big thing. 1 2 3 4 5
7. A man is justified in raping his intimate
partner if he finds out she’s been cheating 1 2 3 4 5
on him.
8. A woman can’t really refuse to have sex
with a man she’s slept with on a regular 1 2 3 4 5
basis.
9. If a woman lets her intimate partner
touch her sexually, she should be willing to 1 2 3 4 5
go all the way.
10. A woman should forgive and forget if
her partner forces sex on her. 1 2 3 4 5
11. When the man pays most of the bills,
his intimate partner should be available to 1 2 3 4 5
him whenever he wants sex..
12. If a woman gets drunk, it is really her
own fault if her intimate partner has sex 1 2 3 4 5
with her without her consent.
13. Rape of an intimate partner is less
serious than rape of a stranger. 1 2 3 4 5
14. When a man rapes his intimate partner,
she probably did something to deserve it. 1 2 3 4 5
15. A woman can prevent her intimate
partner from raping her if she really wants 1 2 3 4 5
to.
16. Rape in intimate relationships doesn’t
hurt anyone. 1 2 3 4 5
17. Sometimes the only way a man can get
his intimate partner to agree to sex is to be 1 2 3 4 5
persistent in seeking it.
18. Women who are forced to have sex
with their intimate partners eventually forget 1 2 3 4 5
about it and go on with their lives.

5
 Male Sexual Access Scale

Some- Some-
I believe… Strongly what what Strongly Don’t
agree agree disagree disagree Know
1. It is my partner’s duty to have sex with
me whenever I want it. 1 2 3 4 5
2. I will go elsewhere if I don’t have sex
with my partner when he wants it. 1 2 3 4 5
3. Having sex with my partner when s/he
is not really in the mood helps us to stay 1 2 3 4 5
together as a couple.
4. I have the right to hurt my partner’s
sexual body parts when s/he does 1 2 3 4 4
something I don’t like.
5. When I force my partner to have sex
with me, my partner has done something to 1 2 3 4 5
deserve it.

Sympathy for Survivors of Partner Sexual Assault Scale

Some- Some-
A woman has reason to believe that … Strongly what what Strongly Don’t
agree agree disagree disagree Know
1. she won’t get sympathy if she tells
someone her intimate partner raped her. 1 2 3 4 5
2. she won’t be believed if she tells
someone her intimate partner raped her. 1 2 3 4 5
3. she will be blamed if she tells other
people her partner raped her. 1 2 3 4 5
4. police will be helpful if she reports that
her intimate partner raped her. 1 2 3 4 5
5. she will get respectful treatment if her
accusation of rape by her partner goes to 1 2 3 4 5
court.

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 Brief Descriptions of the Scales

Emotional Connection Scale. This scale is intended to provide a picture of the emotional

quality of couples’ relationship. This is a six-item Likert-like scale with five responses that range

from “Never” to “Always.” It is based on the work of Gottman (2001) and Jane Gilgun’s published

and unpublished research.

Sexual Behaviors Scale. This is an eight-item scale with possible responses of “True,” “Not

true,” and “Not sure,” developed for the present research. Based on readings of the sexual assault

research such as those cited earlier and the principal investigators’ published and unpublished

research, it is intended to identify instances of sexual coercion, sexual assaults, and rape.

Consensual Sex Scale. This is a three-item scale with five Likert-like responses ranging

from “Never true” to “Always true.” It is intended to identify some sexually compatible aspects of

couple relationships and is based on readings of research and theory and Jane Gilgun’s published

and unpublished research..

Rape Myth Scale. This is an 18-item scale with four Likert-like responses that range from

“Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree” and a “Don’t know” response. It contains items that are

meant to provide a measure of respondents’ acceptance of commonly-held beliefs about the nature

of rape, rape victims, and perpetrators of rape. The first item asks if respondents agree with a

definition of rape is consistent with definitions found in the research literature including Tjaden &

Thoennes (2000). Other items are based upon the work of Burt (1980) Lonsway and Fitzsgerald

(1995), general reading of the rape/sexual assault research, and Jane Gilgun’s published and

unpublished research.

Partner Rape Myth Scale. This is an 18-item scale with four Likert-like responses that

range from “Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree” and a “Don’t know” response. As the title

suggests, this scale contains items that are meant to provide a measure of respondents’ acceptance

of commonly-held beliefs about the nature of rape among marital, co-habiting, and other long-term
7
partners. The ideas and some of the items of the scale are adapted to intimate partner sexual assault

from the work of Burt (1980), Lonsway and Fitzsgerald (1995), general reading of the rape/sexual

assault literature such as Bergen (1996, 1999), Finelhor & Yllo (1985), Mahoney and Williams

(1998), Whatley (1993), and Jane Gilgun’s published and unpublished research.

Male Sexual Access Scale. This is a five-item scale with four Likert-like responses that

range from “Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree” and a “Don’t know” response. It draws upon

ideas in Mahoney & Williams (1998), Bergen (1996, 1999), Basile (1999), Finkelhor and Yllo

(1985), Russell (1990), other readings of the rape/sexual assault research literature, and the

principal investigators’ published and unpublished research. It is intended to measure respondents’

personal beliefs regarding wifely duties, victim blaming, and male entitlements to sex which

sometimes fit both legal definitions of rape and definitions found in research.

Sympathy for Survivors of Partner Sexual Assault Scale. This is a five-item scale with

four Likert-like responses that range from “Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree” and a “Don’t

know” response. It draws upon ideas in rape/sexual assault research including Mahoney (1999),

Williams & Holmes (1981), Russell (1990) and Jane Gilgun’s published and unpublished research.

Items four and five are reversed scoring items.

Sexual Experiences Survey, adapted. This is an eight-item instrument with possible

responses of “Yes,” “No,” and ‘Not sure” adapted for the present research from the Koss and Oros

(1982) Sexual Experiences Survey (SES), which was designed for detecting rape behaviors in

acquaintance relationships. Koss and Oros (1985) reported correlations between survey data and

interview data were .73 (p<.001) for a sample of women college students and .61(p<.001) for a

sample of men college students. Cook (2002) found that the SES rape subscale elicited more reports

of rape than two measures, including the sexual aggression subscale of the Conflict Tactic Scale 2

(Straus et al, 1995).

Rape Myth Scale. This is an 18-item scale with four Likert-like responses that range from

“Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree” and a “Don’t know” response. It contains items that are
8
meant to provide a measure of respondents’ acceptance of commonly-held beliefs about the nature

of rape, rape victims, and perpetrators of rape. The first item asks if respondents agree with a

definition of rape is consistent with definitions found in the research literature including Tjaden &

Thoennes (2000). Other items are based upon the work of Burt (1980) Lonsway and Fitzsgerald

(1995), general reading of the rape/sexual assault research, and Jane Gilgun’s published and

unpublished research.

A Brief Review of Research

Survivors of rape are blamed, shamed, and stigmatized. Rape myths justify men’s

behaviors and blame women (Burt, 1980; Lonsway & Fitzgerald, 1995). Women who have been

raped expect to be asked what they did to cause it. More than 20 years ago, Williams & Holmes

(1981) called public responses to rape “the second assault.” Survivors experience legal and social

discrimination based on wide-spread acceptance of rape myths that not only stigmatize and blame

them but minimize and even deny men’s responsibilities (Resnick et al, 1991). Finally, rape is a

crime that men predominantly commit against women. As Rozee and Koss (2001) have written,

“Gender is still the most powerful predictor of rape” (p. 295).

Survivors of rape and sexual assault in marriage and other committed relationships may

suffer even more discrimination and neglect than survivors of other forms of rape (Resnick,

Kilpatrick, Walsh, & Vernonen, 1991). Rape in marriage has only recently been recognized as a

crime. Some states still have what is called an “exemption,” meaning forms of sexual assault in

marriage are not prosecutable (Mahoney & Williams, 1998). Social attitudes and beliefs are

embedded in legal codes, and, therefore, many persons believe that rape in marriage is impossible.

Rather, it is a wife’s duty to provide sex to her husband whenever he wants it. Many persons also

believe that once a woman has had sex with a man on a regular basis, she is obliged to perform

sexually for him thereafter. If he forces sex on her, she is viewed as having less responsibility than

men who rape women they do not know or with whom they have not previously had sex. Finkelhor
9
and Yllo (1985) captured a dimension of sexual assault in committed relationships when they

named their book License to rape: Sexual abuse of wives.

Personal Beliefs

For centuries, women have internalized cultural beliefs and practices that do so much harm

to them (Resnick et al, 1991; Rozee & Koss, 2001). They may believe many widely-accepted

perceptions of sexual assault in committed relationships, such as rape in intimate relationships is not

possible because they may believe that the marriage contract or the implied contract within co-

habiting or other long-term relationships requires men’s open access to sex. They may think that

sexual assault in committed relationships is less serious than other forms of rape. Women may do a

great deal of soul-searching and even blame themselves if their partner force sex on her or seek to

punish and control her through sexual aggression (Finkelhor & Yllo, 1985; Russell, 1990).

Women are embedded in cultures that blames and stigmatizes them for being victims of

rape; these attitudes extend sexual assault in marriage and other intimate relationships, with the

added burden that the impact and significance of intimate partner rape is minimized within social,

religious, and legal institutions and even among family members and friends (Bergen, 1996, 1998,

1998; Basile, 1999; Resnick et al, 1991).. Women have sound reasons to doubt the wisdom of

disclosing and reporting sexual assault that their intimate partners have perpetrated on them

(Mahoney & Williams, 1998; Russell, 1990).

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