Voluntary exposure to pornography and men's attitudes toward feminism and rape

Journal of Sex Research, Spring, 1997 by Kimberly A. Davies

There were also no significant differences between those who rented one, two, and three or more X-rated videos with regard to opinions on what punishment one deserves for marital rape. The responses were varied. About half of the men (79 of 184 who answered, or 47%) reported that they believed that a man who forces his wife to have sexual relations should spend one or more years in prison. Forty-six percent (12) of the single renters, 43.6% (20) of those who rented 2 videos and 52.4% (47) of those who rented more than 2 videos favored a year or more punishment for a man convicted of raping his wife. Approximately 58% (15) of those who rented 1 video, 43.6% (24) of those who rented 2 videos, and 52.4% (53) of those who rented 3 or more videos believed that marital rape deserved some length of incarceration. Likewise, there were no significant differences found when punishment categories were divided by those who were in favor of serving some time incarcerated versus no time incarcerated or when the punishments were divided into the categories of incarceration, counseling or grounds for divorce, and nothing. Of those who rented 1 video, 23% felt that a man who rapes his wife should receive counseling, 3.8% (1) believed marital rape was grounds for divorce, and 15.3%, or 4, thought that nothing should be done to the husband. Thirteen (23.6%) of those who rented 2 videos believed that the man should be counseled, 13 believed that marital rape was grounds for divorce, and 5, or 9.1%, believed that nothing should be done. Finally, 25.2% (26) of those who rented 3 or more videos believed that a man who raped his wife should receive counseling, 14.6% (15) thought it was grounds for divorce, and 7.8% (8) believed that there should be no punishment.

Similarly, the number of videos rented did not result in significantly different opinions on assigning punishment for date rape. However, date rape appears to be seen as more serious than marital rape, with 84 of the 186 respondents (45%) calling for 10 years in prison and 140 of the 186 respondents (75%) saying that date rape should be punished with I year or more of incarceration. Of those who rented 1 video, 35.7% believed that the punishment for date rape should be 10 years, 32. 1% felt it should be 1-2 years, 10.7% answered 1-2 months, 10.7% thought the punishment should be counseling, 3.7% thought the victim should be able to sue, and 7.1% thought that nothing should be done. Approximately 49% of those who rented 2 videos thought that the punishment for date rape should be 10 years, 23.6% felt it should be 1-2 years, 10.9% said 1-2 months, 12.7% selected counseling, 3.6% said counseling, and 0 thought that the punishment for date rape should be nothing. Of those renting 3 or more videos, 45.6% responded that the punishment for date rape should be 10 years, 33% said 1-2 years, 2.9% felt 1-2 months was sufficient, 12.6% responded that the punishment for date rape should be counseling, and 5.8% said that the victim should be permitted to sue.