Sex Work and Sexual Victimization: A Comparative Study of Students’ and Police Officers’ Perceptions of Sex-Working Rape Victims

Attitudes toward sexual violence and victim-blaming are culturally dependent and should be examined within specific social and legal contexts. The present study sought to compare Israeli police officers' (N = 220) and students' (N = 230) perceptions toward sex working rape victims. Participants were presented with a vignette describing a rape, where the victim was either identified as a sex worker or not. They then provided ratings of blame and sentencing, along with assessments of victim resistance and harm and their emotional responses toward the victim. Significant differences emerged between the groups. Although overall victim-blaming was relatively low, police officers attributed more blame when the victim was identified as a sex worker, while students' blame attribution remained unaffected by the victim's status. Similarly, police officers were more lenient toward the perpetrator than students regarding punishment, particularly when the victim was identified as a sex worker. These differences also appeared in emotional responses and evaluations of victim resistance and harm, indicating that police officers held more stereotypical and skeptical attitudes compared to students. The findings suggest that law enforcement attitudes may reflect a unique institutional perspective, shaped by organizational norms within the police force, the broader legal discourse, and police officers' work-related exposure.