The Effects of Race and Gender on Victim-Blaming in the Workplace

Sexual assault is a prevalent issue in the North of Cyprus, particularly among students working in the workplace. This thesis aims to explore the complex interplay of gender and race in shaping victim blaming attitudes towards students who experience sexual assault in the workplace. The main hypothesis of this study is that participants will exhibit more victim blaming and negative perceptions towards female and foreign victims compared to male and local victims. Additionally, an interaction effect of race and gender is expected, such that women of a foreign race will be blamed more and targeted with more negative attitudes. To test these hypotheses, an online questionnaire was carried out to assess participants' victim blaming attitudes towards hypothetical sexual assault scenarios involving students from different genders and races through the use of vignettes. The survey measured participants' levels of ambivalent sexism, masculinity endorsement, modern racism, prior experience of sexual assault, and workplace harassment. Findings revealed that victim blaming, and victim perception were significantly related to ambivalent sexism, modern racism, nationality, and prior experience of sexual assault and workplace harassment. However, the study did not find a significant interaction effect between race and gender. Additionally, participants who were more ambivalent sexist, modern racist, and had more experience with sexual assault and workplace harassment were more likely to blame and have negative perceptions of victims. The findings of the study are illuminated amidst the tapestry of existing research.Thus they can be further used in various places such as work spaces in the development of better work policies. Future research may consider the effects of femininity or religiosity as covariates when controlling for the effects of victim blaming on race and gender.