Fraternity Membership, Rape Myths, and Sexual Aggression on a College Campus

There was strong evidence uncovered that male peer support for victimization of women exists, and that it is related to extensive alcohol use, but there is no evidence that fraternity men are different on these factors from other men.

Abstract

A rich theoretical and ethnographic literature exists suggesting that fraternity men are particularly prone to be sexual victimizers of women on college campuses. Yet, there is thin empirical evidence for this contention. Here, in a sample from a large midwestern university, there was strong evidence uncovered that male peer support for victimization of women exists, and that it is related to extensive alcohol use. However, there is no evidence that fraternity men are different on these factors from other men. A conclusion is that anti-rape efforts must be broader than only targeting fraternities, and that alcohol education must be a high priority.