Abstract
This study examined the interplay of rape myth acceptance (RMA), gender role stereotypes, and self-perceptions of sexuality among Ultra-Orthodox, formerly Ultra-Orthodox, and secular Jewish women. The study included 253 Jewish women (M = 29.21, SD = 6.90), primarily Israeli-born. Regression analysis showed that conservative gender roles and negative sexual self-perceptions predicted higher RMA. Ultra-Orthodox women exhibited more conservative gender attitudes, higher RMA, and more negative sexual self-concepts than secular and formerly Ultra-Orthodox women. However, no differences emerged between formerly Ultra-Orthodox and secular women. Additionally, all groups showed similar levels of positive sexual self-concepts. These findings highlight the influence of religious upbringing on attitudes toward gender and sexuality and the complex interplay between religious heritage and societal exposure. Despite study limitations, the research offers insights into gender and sexuality perceptions across Jewish communities, enriching theoretical discussions and informing future interventions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1560-1576 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology |
| Volume | 69 |
| Issue number | 10-11 |
| Early online date | 29 Mar 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2025 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Keywords
- Ultra-Orthodox community
- gender roles
- rape myth acceptance
- sexuality