Are the Paths to Victim-Blaming Paved with Hostile Sexism, Honor System Justification, and Fragile Masculinity? Evidence from Men in Turkey

Abstract

Victim-blaming is a source of deep concern for survivors of violence since it is linked to feelings of shame, guilt, and embarrassment, as well as less help-seeking behaviors, fear of being known by others, and fear of revenge by the perpetrator. In cases of intimate partner violence, cultural and individual factors such as sexism, honor system endorsement, and fragile masculinity beliefs all play a part in determining who is to blame. This study, therefore, aimed to examine the mechanisms relating hostile sexism to victim-blaming of men from an honor culture, where one's self-worth is dependent on the judgments of others, and men are assigned to safeguard the family's honor. In total, 252 men from Turkey participated in the study. Hostile sexism, supporting honor norms, and fragile masculinity beliefs of men predicted more victim-blaming in a male to female partner violence depicted through a date rape scenario. Supporting honor norms and fragile masculinity beliefs mediated the association between hostile sexism and victim-blaming. Findings suggested that questioning honor codes and masculine ideas may reduce victim-blaming. Implications of the findings for prevention efforts and future studies are highlighted.