Mock Jurors’ Determinations of Guilt in Sexual Offences Involving Male Victims: A Systematic Review

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dc.abstract.enResearch examining perceptions of male victims of sexual violence has been neglected, particularly regarding jury attitudes toward these victims. It is important to recognize whether jurors, as community decision-makers, hold falsehoods, stereotypes, and gendered beliefs about male victims of sexual violence and whether these beliefs affect their legal attitudes and verdict decisions. A systematic review of peer-reviewed, experimental studies published between 1980 and 2024 was conducted. A total of 11 databases, alongside ascendancy, descendancy, and gray literature searches across two additional platforms, were searched using 18 search strings, yielding 21 sources which met the pre-registered inclusion criteria. Reviewers assessed all sources in terms of quality using two separate measures. Synthesis of the reviewed sources suggests that mock jurors are typically less punitive toward defendants in sexual violence cases with male victims, compared to those with female victims. While half of the sources find no effect of victim gender on mock jurors’ verdict decisions, this is accompanied by findings indicating that mock jurors hold harsher attitudes and beliefs toward male victims. Several sources also suggest that male victims’ ethnicity, sexuality, and gender identity are additional characteristics that affect mock jury attitudes and legal outcomes. Mock jurors were typically more lenient toward alleged perpetrators of sexual violence and held harsher and more punitive attitudes toward Black, gay, or transgender male victims in sexual violence cases. Finally, we discuss implications for policy and practice, and recommendations for future research.
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.contributor.authorMillar, Madeleine
dc.contributor.authorWeare, Siobhan
dc.contributor.authorWillmott, Dominic
dc.date.access2026-10-01
dc.date.accessioned2026-10-07T10:38:14Z
dc.date.available2026-10-07T10:38:14Z
dc.date.created2025-05-12
dc.date.issued2026-10-01
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>Research examining perceptions of male victims of sexual violence has been neglected, particularly regarding jury attitudes toward these victims. It is important to recognize whether jurors, as community decision-makers, hold falsehoods, stereotypes, and gendered beliefs about male victims of sexual violence and whether these beliefs affect their legal attitudes and verdict decisions. A systematic review of peer-reviewed, experimental studies published between 1980 and 2024 was conducted. A total of 11 databases, alongside ascendancy, descendancy, and gray literature searches across two additional platforms, were searched using 18 search strings, yielding 21 sources which met the pre-registered inclusion criteria. Reviewers assessed all sources in terms of quality using two separate measures. Synthesis of the reviewed sources suggests that mock jurors are typically less punitive toward defendants in sexual violence cases with male victims, compared to those with female victims. While half of the sources find no effect of victim gender on mock jurors’ verdict decisions, this is accompanied by findings indicating that mock jurors hold harsher attitudes and beliefs toward male victims. Several sources also suggest that male victims’ ethnicity, sexuality, and gender identity are additional characteristics that affect mock jury attitudes and legal outcomes. Mock jurors were typically more lenient toward alleged perpetrators of sexual violence and held harsher and more punitive attitudes toward Black, gay, or transgender male victims in sexual violence cases. Finally, we discuss implications for policy and practice, and recommendations for future research.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.issue4
dc.description.physical1-16
dc.description.sdgQualityEducation
dc.description.sdgGenderEquality
dc.description.sdgReducedInequalities
dc.description.sdgPeaceJusticeAndStrongInstitutions
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume27
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/15248380251366264
dc.identifier.eissn1552-8324
dc.identifier.issn1524-8380
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/2591
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15248380251366264
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOTHER
dc.subject.enjury decision-making
dc.subject.ensexual violence
dc.subject.engender
dc.subject.enmale victims
dc.subject.enrape myths
dc.subject.envulnerability
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleMock Jurors’ Determinations of Guilt in Sexual Offences Involving Male Victims: A Systematic Review
dc.title.journalTrauma, Violence and Abuse
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle