| This study was conducted to evaluate societal views of female child molesters compared to male child molesters. Participants completed a survey containing eight vignettes created by the author regarding their feelings towards different perpetrators in various scenarios. It was hypothesized that subjects would be more lenient on female offenders than male offenders. It was further hypothesized that participants would be more lenient on female offenders of adolescent victims than child victims. A sample of 83 participants was obtained through social media. Data was analyzed using SPSS. A MONOVA was conducted to assess participant's moral judgment of the sexual act and the intensity of the punishment the male or female offender should receive. Results yielded were inconsistent from the original hypotheses. It was found that individuals judged both male and female offenders equally. Furthermore, participants acknowledged more moral outrage with female offenders of child victims, but gave harsher punishments to crimes with adolescent victims. Unexpected findings revealed that participants appeared to be further morally outraged by offenses with homosexual implications, as evidenced by the responses given regarding male offenders with male victims, and female offenders with female victims. Results implicate that gender of the offender, as well as, gender and age of the victim affect societies views on the severity of the sexual crime committed. |
