University students' perspectives on physiological sexual arousal in victims of sexual assault: The role of gender and rape myths.

This article investigates university students' awareness and perceptions of physiological sexual arousal (erection, lubrication, orgasm) that may involuntarily occur in victims during sexual assault, examining how participant gender, victim gender, perpetrator gender, and endorsement of rape myths influence these perceptions. Surveying 707 cisgender students from the University of Ottawa using an adapted Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance–Short Form (IRMA-SF) scale and tailored questions, the study found that most students acknowledged the possibility of such physiological responses in victims, with variations in perceived likelihood depending on the genders involved. Male participants endorsed rape myths more strongly and were generally less likely to believe in the occurrence of victim sexual arousal during assault; endorsement of rape myths correlated negatively with acceptance of this phenomenon. The findings highlight a general lack of awareness about physiological sexual arousal during sexual assault and suggest the need for educational initiatives to address misconceptions that may affect victim reporting, credibility, and legal outcomes.