Sheridan Barr (author); D. Scharie Tavcer (thesis advisor); Mount Royal University Faculty of Arts Economics, Justice and Policy Studies (Degree granting institution)
Date issued
2022-04; 2022-04
Description
Rape myth acceptance continues to make its way into our criminal justice system. It is expressed in sexual assault trials during cross-examinations of complainants and in a judge or jury’s decision-making processes. Prejudices and biases about sexual assault and its victims infiltrates societal views about the offence and people involved; thus, affecting reporting and conviction rates. This project illustrates how rape myths are used and accepted by justice professionals during trials and how it affects sexual assault case outcomes. This is showed with landmark cases where myths were the backbone of the decision-making process in deciding the offender’s guilt for the offence. Using an...
Tavcer D. Scharie (author); Trussler Tanya (author); Loutit Keri-Ann (author)
Date issued
2016
Description
As well as pinpointing gaps in available literature on adult sexual assault in Alberta, this study is focused on identifying the underlying issues that lead to the discrepancies in the number of police-reported sexual assault crimes and the data retrieved from individuals who access victim support services. It is believed that the crime-funnel effect on sexual assault cases, where many cases do not end up continuing through the justice system in Alberta, is a root factor that results in victims choosing not to report the incident; Victims choose not to report the incident knowing that a large percentage of crimes do not proceed to court, do not result in convictions, or the sentences are...
Irene Shankar (author); D. Scharie Tavcer (author); Mount Royal University (funder)
Date issued
2021; 2021
Description
This exploratory study investigates the expertise of committee members tasked with constructing sexual violence policies within a post-secondary institution (PSI) and the constraints under which they complete this work. Our findings indicate that allocated committees prioritize institutional risk management, normalize confusion, and most members have little or no understanding of the intersectionality of violence. These findings contextualize PSI’s failure to address structural violence. Our recommendations urge PSIs to include subject experts, consult with existing service providers, and integrate research on the intersectionality of sexualized violence within their policy and program...
Jakubec Sonya L. (author); Carter-Snell Catherine J. (author); Ofrim Jenny (author); Skanderup Judy (author)
Date issued
2013
Description
Women in rural communities do not regularly receive comprehensive health care following sexual assaults, resulting in increased rates of mental illness, substance abuse, re-victimization, and chronic health problems. Additionally, women are at risk for secondary victimization, the stigmatization and re-victimization that results from the responses of others to the assault. Secondary victimization is amplified when victims must be transported out of a rural community for treatment, receive delays in services, when professionals react negatively towards them, or provide incomplete services. A research study sought to find ways of addressing these risks and understanding the educational...
Can young men distinguish between quotes from conventional magazines and quotes from convicted rapists? To what extent do young men agree/disagree with statements about dating, sex, women and sexual assault? The purpose of this study is to contribute to the existing literature about young men’s attitudes towards women and sex. This study is a partial replication of the work conducted in the United Kingdom (UK) by Horvath & Hegarty (2011) combined with a partial replication of the work conducted in the United States (USA) by Lonsway & Fitzgerald (1995) Myths, beliefs and the attitudes of today’s young men toward dating, sex, and sexual assault are also explored in this study. Similar...