Understanding Marital Rape Perception in MENA and South Asia: The Role of Resistance, Sexual Deprivation, and Jealousy
Exploring perceptions of marital rape (MR) across diverse regions, including the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and South Asia, this study recruited participants (<i>N</i> = 576, <i>M</i><sub>age </sub>= 24.88, <i>SD</i><sub>age</sub> = 9.36) via convenience and snowball sampling for online surveys. Participants engaged with nine MR scenario vignettes, varying in perpetrator justification (no justification, sexual deprivation, jealousy) and victim resistance (passive, verbal, verbal, and physical). Results from nine 3 × 3 factorial ANOVAs revealed significant effects of justification type and resistance level on perception of MR. Cultural differences emerged, with MENA respondents emphasizing jealousy-justified rape seriousness, while South Asian respondents were influenced by resistance level. Understanding these regional nuances is crucial for tailored interventions and legal reforms addressing MR.
Authors
- Olga Khokhlova (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7997-9949)
- Miranda A. H. Horvath (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4363-4575)
- Nishtha Lamba (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2595-5076)
- Katherine Allen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5672-3051)
Institutions
- University of Suffolk (GB)
- University of Dubai (AE)
- Middlesex University Dubai (AE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Violence Against Women
- Published
- 2025-08-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012251366222
- Primary Topic
- Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00