A Study on Victim Psychology and Help-Seeking Behavior of Sexual Victims

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K03449
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Mejiro University
• Principal Investigator: SAITO Azusa 目白大学, 心理学部, 准教授 (60612108)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 岡本 かおり 清泉女学院大学, 人間学部, 教授 (20736425)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 性暴力被害 / 強直性不動反応 / 犯罪被害 / トラウマ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The results of this study revealed that when faced with a sexual violence, people experience not only the tonic immobility reaction, in which they are unable to resist or escape, but also the conformity reaction, in which they say and do things to conform to the other person, and the submission reaction, in which they act in accordance with the other person. The background of these reactions is thought to be related to fear of violence in the case of tonic-immobility and conformity reactions, and to feelings of trusting the other person and not wanting to be disliked by the other person in the case of submission reactions. In addition, it was also considered that, especially in the case of victims who are sexual minorities, the awareness of gender and sexuality present in society may facilitate the occurrence of victimization, inhibit the victim's resistance, and promote the occurrence of secondary victimization.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

性暴力被害においては、「なぜ逃げなかったのか」「抵抗しなかったのだから同意があったのではないか」などの被害者非難が発生しやすい。本研究の結果、性暴力被害では、恐怖により身体が動かなくなる強直性不動反応、さらにひどい目に合わないために相手に合わせる迎合反応や従順反応など、様々な反応が生じていることが示唆された。また、ジェンダーやセクシュアリティに関する社会の認識が、被害者の抵抗を抑圧する可能性も考えられた。
こうした様々な反応や抵抗を妨げる背景要因は、これまで、実証的研究ではあまり言及されてきておらず、本研究の結果は、社会における性暴力被害の誤った認識を改める一助となると考えられる。