In addition, the undergraduates rated the rape victim patient as less emotionally stable and reported a less empathic response to her than to the videotaped patient whose personal problems were unrelated to rape.

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Undergraduates who indicated that they knew a rape victim reported experiencing more empathy with a female patient presented on videotape than did individuals who did not know a rape victim. However, this heightened empathic response was not limited to another rape victim, as was found in a prior study contrasting the responses of rape victim subjects and control subjects, but was generalized to a victim of traumatic events unrelated to the experience of rape. Female subjects rated the patients on the videotapes as more likable, and they reported a more empathic response to the patients than did the male subjects. In addition, the undergraduates rated the rape victim patient as less emotionally stable and reported a less empathic response to her than to the videotaped patient whose personal problems were unrelated to rape.

In addition, the undergraduates rated the rape victim patient as less emotionally stable and reported a less empathic response to her than to the videotaped patient whose personal problems were unrelated to rape.

The Effect of Knowing a Rape Victim on Reactions to Other Victims