Biography
Maddie Brockbank is a Master’s of Social Work candidate at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ms. Brockbank’s undergraduate and graduate research, practice experience, and community organizing initiatives have been in the area of engaging men in sexual violence prevention. She was awarded the YWCA Hamilton’s Young Woman of Distinction Award (2019), the President’s Award of Excellence in Student Leadership (2019), and the Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS-M, 2019) for her academic excellence, contributions to research, and leadership in the community.
Abstract
Sexual violence is a pervasive issue identified on post-secondary campuses. Existing research focuses almost exclusively on an American context and quantitatively explores the frequency with which sexual assault occurs on campuses. As men are overrepresented as perpetrators, it is necessary to investigate their perspectives on the issue. The present study qualitatively examines the perspectives of white, heterosexual, male students to facilitate dialogue about sexual violence on university campuses in Ontario. Several themes emerged, specifically pertaining to negotiations of consent, a perceived “grey area,” peer influence, and how the social construction of masculinity fosters specific beliefs that excuse sexually violent beliefs, language, and actions. The present research study illustrates a need to explore this subject further to improve sexual violence prevention efforts.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Brockbank, Maddie (2019) "The Myth of the "Gray Area" in Rape: Fabricating Ambiguity and Deniability," Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence: Vol. 4: Iss. 4, Article 2. https://doi.org/10.23860/dignity.2019.04.04.02
Included in
Criminology Commons, Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Commons, Social Work Commons