Educating about Gender roles
In many cultures, normative gender roles during sexual interaction are the result of development and socialization processes. Men are expected to fulfill a societal role of being dominant, masculine, aggressive, powerful while women play the role of being fragile, passive, and submissive (Simonson and Subick, 1999). There appears to be a connection between rape perceptions, gender role attitudes, and the victim-perpetrator relationship (Ben-David and Schneider, 2005). Although the traditional gender roles are changing in the U.S., educational programs are necessary that emphasize sexual violence as unacceptable in any context for men or women regardless of gender roles. References:
Rape perceptions as a function of gender-role traditionally and victim-perpetrator association.
Simonson K, Subick LM.
Sex Roles: A Journal of Research. April 1999.
Rape Perceptions, Gender Role Attitudes, and Victim-Perpetrator Acquaintance.
Ben-David S, Schneider.
Sex Roles, 53: 385-399 (15). September 2005.